THE WOODWORKER SERIES 




WOO 





Glass 



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Book ^_ f 3 






WOOD-TURNING 

(THE WOODWORKER SERIES) 



THE WOODWORKER SERIES 

Woodwork Joints. — Deals in the clearest and most 
practical way with all Joints required in Cabinet 
Work, Carpentry, Joinery, etc. The volume is illus- 
trated with over 420 diagrams, many of which have 
been specially drawn to show the methods of work 
and the application of the joint. 12mo., with com- 
plete Index of over 1,000 references. 

Staining and Polishing. — The most complete 
guide to every process connected with Staining, 
Polishing, Varnishing, etc., placing before the reader 
full information regarding practically every method 
of wood-finishing. There is an Appendix of Recipes 
for stains, polishes, varnishes, etc., and a most valu- 
able Index of 1,300 references. 12mo., illustrated. 

Fretwork. — Contents include Fret Cutting, In- 
laying and Over-laying, giving the reader details 
regarding the preparation of the wood and the design. 
The author has had a vast experience as a fret- 
cutter. He has also written more on the subject and 
produced a larger number of published fret-work 
designs than any other living man. He gives many 
practical hints on cutting and sandpapering, joints 
and fitting, gluing, fixing and fitting, backgrounds 
and finish, etc. There is also included material on 
the art of over-laying and in-laying. 12mo. 222 
pages. 129 illustrations in the text. 



The Woodwork er Series 

WOOD-TURNING 




PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON 
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 



.fa 



FEINTED BT J. B. LtPPIHCOTT COVPAWT 

AT THE WASHINGTON SQUABS PBBftS 

PHILADELPHIA, V. 8. A. 



\i 



FOREWORD 

'"TpURNING, one of the most effective and satisfy- 
A ing modes of ornament, has been employed from 
the earliest times in constructive and decorative 
woodwork, and this volume has been designed to 
assist the professional craftsman and the amateur in 
practical lathe work. 

The uses of tools and the methods of manipulation 
for various classes of work are clearly given, and 
suggestions are offered as guidance for the setting 
out and grouping of the recognised classical members 
so as to secure correctly proportioned and graceful 
designs. The numerous illustrations include many 
examples of turnings in different styles, and in 
several cases full-sized working details are given. 

The volume has been written and (for the most 
part) illustrated by Mr. William Fairham, and is 
aimed to assist not only the home worker, but also 
practical wood turners, cabinet makers, pattern 
makers, joiners, carpenters, wheelwrights, junior 
draughtsmen, and teachers and students in Technical 
or Day Continuation Schools. 

J. C. S. BROUGH. 



CONTENTS 



*AGE 

THE LATHE i 

Lathe Parts — Treadling — Gauging and Chucking — 
Roughing Down. 

TURNING SMALL OBJECTS 13 

Using the Chisel — Turning a Hollow — Rounding off — 
Stepping or Sinking — The Callipers — Gauges — 
Examples — Finishing with Glass-paper — Tools. 

TOOLS: GRINDING AND SHARPENING . . 25 
Grinding Gauges and Chisels — Oilslips — Sharpening. 

THE BACK STAY— SAWING AND BORING . . $1 

Back Rest — Back Stay — Circular Sawing — Drilling 
Attachment. 

SPLIT TURNINGS AND TURNED MOULDINGS . 36 

Jacobean Split Turnings — Preparing the Wood — Turn- 
ing Mouldings — The use of the Arbor — Bulbous Turn- 
ings. 

TWISTED AND SPIRAL TURNINGS . . • 1/ 

Single Twists — Double Twists — Separate Strand 
Twists — Cabriole Legs. 

CHUCKS AND FACE PLATES .... 55 

Metal and Wooden Chucks — Split Chucks — Screw 
Chucks — Face Plates — Rounding Tools. 

HOLLOWING A VASE— SUPPORTING COLLARS, 
ETC 67 

Hollowing a Vase — Turning Discs — Gap Lathes — 
Temporary Supporting Collars — Turning Moulds for 
Barred Doors. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

TURNING A BALL ♦ .... 75 

Tae Limit Gauge and »ther Tools — Operations in 
^Taming Balls — Testing Balls — Turning Common 
Bails. 

TURNING WOODEN RIN^S, SQUARE TURNING, 

ETC 81 

Cornice Pole Rings — Use of Saddle — Square Turning 
— Quasi-square Turning — Setting-out Laths — Turning 
for Capitals. 

FINISHING TURNINGS— STAINING AND POLISHING 91 

MISCELLANEOUS HINTS 99 

Tobacco Pipes — Sideboard Pillars — Noah's Ark Animals 
— Grouping of Members — Table of Speeds — The Story 
of the Lathe. 

PATTERNS FOR TURNINGS (with many full-sized 
details) ......... jo* 

Dining-Table, Billiard Table, and other Table Legs — 
Columns, Posts, Spindles, etc. — Chair Legs — Newel 
Posts — Household Turnery — Chessmen, Etc. 

INDEX • jt • • M9 



THE LATHE 

THE art of Wood Turning consists, broadly speaking, 
of forming timber into such a shape that, if a 
section be taken at right angles to the axis on 
which the work is revolved, the section will be a 
circle. The machine or appliance in which the 
timber is revolved whilst the cutting action is in 
progress is called a Lathe. 




FIG. I. — SKETCH OF STANDARD TREADLE LATHE, WITH 
EXTENSION PIECE. 



Fig. i is a sketch showing the front view of a standard 
foot or treadle lathe. Fig. 2 illustrates the back view 



Wood Turning 




The Lathe 



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IVood Turning 

of the same lathe, a complete numbered list of parts 
being given on page 3. Various makes of lathes 
differ in design and construction, but the general 
principle is the same. 

The length of the bed of the lathe shown in the illus- 
ration is 3 ft. 6 ins. ; and the height of the centres from 




FIG. 3. — SKETCH OF EXTENSION PIECE (NO. 1 4). 

the bed is 5 ins. The extension piece (No. 14) was in 
this particular case made after the lathe was bought, 
so as to enable the worker to turn table legs, etc., up to 
2 ft. 8 ins. long. A sketch, Fig. 3, is shown of this 
extension, which can be bolted on and taken off the lathe 
proper as occasion demands. 



FIG. 3a. PARTS 4 AND J OF LATHE. 



Buying a Lathe. — The points to be remembered 
when buying a lathe are these : — 

Do not err by buying one that is too small and too 
lightly built. The height from the bed of the lathe to 
the centre of the spindle, and the distance between the 
centres (4 and 7) regulate, respectively, the diameter and 
the length of the work which is to be operated upon. 

If your pocket will afford it, do not buy a lathe the 



The Lathe 

bed of which is less than 3 ft. 6 ins. long, and the height 
to the centres of less than 4 ins. 

The whole of the moving parts should be accurately 
fitted. The driving wheel should be weighted, so as 
to bring up the treadle to such a position that it is always 
ready to be started by a direct downward pressure of the 
foot, and the cast-iron legs should be of a fairly heavy 
design. Lightly built lathes are useless for good work, 
as their construction is such that they do not absorb 
vibration. 

The Operation of Shaping Wood by means of a 
lathe is as follows : — The timber to be turned is placed 
in the lathe between the live centre (7) and the dead 
centre (4). The treadle is started ; this transmits, by 
the action of the chain (23), the requisite power to the 
crankshaft and driving wheel. This, again, by aid of 
a leather belt or strap, turns the live spindle and so sets 
the wood revolving. A turning tool, generally a gouge, 
is firmly held by the worker with the blade supported 
by the tee rest, and the waste wood is cut away so as to 
leave the desired shape. 

Make yourself familiar with the adjustments of your 
lathe. Slacken the nut at the centre of the tailstock, 
and note how readily the tailstock can be moved along 
the lathe bed so as to take the desired length of timber. 
Slacken the clamp (13) and you will find that the tee rest 
support can be adjusted so as to take varying diameters, 
or that it can be moved along the bed similarly to the 
tailstock, enabling you to bring it to any desired position 
lengthways on the bed. Slacken the screw (25), which 
allows the tee rest to be raised or lowered, and at the same 
time turned at right angles to the bed of the lathe. 

Remember, before commencing work, that a lathe 
is in some ways like a bicycle, and that the moving parts 
require oiling so as to avoid undue friction. 

Treadling. — Having made yourself familiar with 



IVood Turning 



all the various parts of the lathe, your first difficulty 
will be learning to treadle. To the beginner it appears 
impossible to work the feet independently of the hands. 







FIG. 4. SHOWING POSITION OV BODY WHILST TREADLING. 

It is, therefore, advisable to spend an hour or so in 
practising with the treadle before attempting the actual 
turning. Both feet should be used in turn, and this will 

6 



The Lathe 

be found difficult at first. Much depends upon the poise 
of the body whilst changing the foot, and there is need 
for perseverance until easy and continuous running is 
obtained. 

The great fault with the beginner is that he puts 
pressure on to the treadle before the crank passes the 
dead centre, thus working much harder than is necessary, 
or preventing the treadle from giving the crankshaft 
and flywheel a continuous revolution. Stand in front 
of the lathe (Fig. 4), the whole weight of the body on 
one leg ; work the treadle with the other leg, but moving 
no other part of the body in unison with the leg. When 
this can be done with either the right or the left leg 
without undue fatigue, the beginner may consider 
himself ready for his first attempt at wood turning. 

Gauging and Chucking. — Take a piece of wood 
preferably of a soft nature, such as yellow pine or red 
deal. A convenient size for a first attempt will be about 
12 ins. long by 1 \ ins. square. See that the ends of the 
wood are approximately square and, taking up the 
ordinary joiner's marking gauge, strike the centre as 
shown at Fig. 5, these marks being, of course, gauged at 
each end of the wood. Next take up a bradawl and bore 
a hole about \ in. deep, so that the spur and the dead 
centre of the lathe will be forced into the timber without 
splitting it. 

Considering that the lathe is foot driven, it is advisable 
to roughly plane away the corners of the wood as shown 
at Fig. 6 ; then, by making suitable adjustments to the 
tool rest and tailstock, proceed to place the timber 
between the lathe centres. This operation is called 
" chucking " the wood. Fig. 7 shows the wood held 
in the left hand while placing the centre point of the spur, 
or prong, in the centre of the hole already made for it. 

Now give the end of the wood a couple of smart 
taps with a hammer or a spanner, and this will effectively 
drive the end of the wood on to the spur. 



Wood Turning 

Take up a tallow or composite candle and grease the 
hole that has been formed to take the dead centre. 
It is important that this be lubricated, owing to the fact 
that the wood revolves on the dead centre, thus inducing 




FIG . 5. — GAUGING TO FIG. 6. — PIECE OF WOOD WITH CORNERS 

FIND CENTRE. ROUGHLY PLANED AWAY READY FOR 

MOUNTING BETWEEN THE LATHE CENTRES. 

friction. On the other hand, no lubrication is necessary 
at the end of the wood which engages with the spur or 
prong, because the woog is carried round, or revolved 
by this spur. Candle grease is considered much better 




FIG. 7. — CHUCKING THE WOOD 



for lubricating the dead centre than the ordinary machine 
oil, which, owing to its liquid state, runs all over the 
wood, thus messing up the turning and throwing oil into 
the worker's face. 

Turn up the hand-wheel as shown at Fig. 8 until the 
conical point pushes fairly tightly into the wood, then 

8 



The Lathe 

give the handle a quarter turn backwards to avoid 
excessive friction, and lock the tail spindle in the desired 
position by screwing up the locking handle shown at 
Fig. 2, No. 2. If the tail spindle be not locked, there is 
always a danger of the spindle working backwards, and 




FIG. 8. FASTENING WOOD BETWEEN CENTRES. 

a risk of the wood flying out of the machine and injuring 
the worker. 

The tee rest and the tee rest holder should now be 
adjusted to the work. This is done by raising the tee 




FIG. 9. POSITION OF REST AND WOOD. 



rest so that the top edge of it is slightly above the centre 
of the wood, and then adjusting the tee rest holder so 
as to allow the front of the rest to be as close to the wood 
as is possible, without actually touching it when the 
work is revolved. For positions of rest and wood, see 
Fig. 9. 



Wood Turning 

Roughing Down. — Now take the J-in. gouge as 
shown at Fig. 4, allowing it to lie with its back on the tee 
rest. Hold the right hand (which grasps the handle of 
the tool) close to the body, so as to overcome leverage, 
and let the fleshy part of the left hand come in contact 
with the tee rest so as to act as a guide and prevent the 
tool being pushed into the work unevenly. 

Treadle the lathe so that the wood revolves towards 
you as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, and gently 
advance the gouge so that it takes light cuts off the rough 




-POSITION OF GOUGE WHEN ROUGHING DOWN THE 
WORK RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND CUTS. 



parts of the wood. Give it at the same time a sideway 
motion, and gradually cut deeper into the wood opposite 
the tee rest until it becomes cylindrical. The clamping 
handle, No. 13, Fig. 2, is now loosened so as to enable 
the tee rest to be placed opposite that portion of the 
wood which has not been worked upon ; fasten the clamp 
which holds the tee rest, and repeat the cutting operation 
until the whole of the wood is approximately a rough 
cylinder. 
This tool operation is called " roughing down." 
When roughing down, the tool should occasionally 
be reversed so as to bring the other cutting edge into 
use ; this method is shown in Fig. 10. The sketch shows a 



The Lathe 

top view and an end view. When the gouge is being 
worked to the left, as indicated by A, it is slightly tilted 
as shown by the curved arrow ; similarly, when working 
to the right, B, it is again slightly tilted as shown by the 
arrow. With constant practice this reversal of the tool 
becomes almost automatic. 

The beginner will probably experience some little 
difficulty in using the gouge. He may fix his tee rest a 
little too high, or he may hold his gouge at an incorrect 
angle to his work. Should his tool rub upon the work 
without cutting, he should slightly lift the right hand. 



FIG. II. SMOOTHING WITH THE CHISEL. 

A little experience will soon enable him to judge his 
correct cutting angle without any necessity for theoretical 
knowledge, such as cutting edges at a tangent to the cut 
circle. 

After roughing down the work with the gouge, the 
worker should endeavour to make his work as smooth as 
possible by removing the irregularities which have been 
left by the roughing process. This can be done by 
taking a very light cut with the gouge, and allowing the 
left hand to slide along the front of the tee rest ; in fact, 
the left hand will act as a kind of slide rest. With 
practice an almost finished surface can be left from the 
gouge alone. 

ii 



Wood Turning 




^JWJU-J _■ 











12 



TURNING SMALL OBJECTS 

' N the previous chapter we described the wood- turning 
lathe and its various parts, and dealt with the work 
of the gouge in " roughing out " for the initial stages. 
The next tool to be used is the turning chisel, and as 
an introduction to this tool the worker is advised to 
use it on the cylindrical block that he has already 
experimented upon (Fig. 6). His first use of this tool 
will be an attempt to finish off his work. 

The Chisel.— Most amateurs use the chisel as a 
scraping tool. Perhaps they have not seen it used as a 




End View. 



FIG 12. FINISHING WORK WITH THE CHISEL. 

(RIGHT AND LEFT-HAND CUTS.) 



cutting tool, and many who attempt to use it as a cutting 
tool experience great difficulty, owing to the liability of 
the sharp corners to continually catch and dig into the 
work. 

The secret of using this tool for smoothing purposes 
is to remember that only the centre portion of the blade 
should be actually touching the wood. Fig. n indicated 
the method of using it when making a finishing cut, and 
Fig. 12 shows the actual position and the approximate 
angle of the tool for cutting to right or left. 

Before the finishing cut has been going on many 

13 



IVood Turning 

minutes, the worker will probably find that the long 
corner of the chisel will catch into the wood, thus splinter- 
ing it to a greater or lesser extent, according to how 
firmly the handle is being held. This is one of the traps 
for the beginner, and the best safeguard is to use a chisel 






FIG. 13. AN ELEMENTARY TURNED SHAPE. 

not less than i-in. in width. Nervousness is a cause of 
a great deal of spoiled turnery work. 

As a second attempt, take the gouge and rough down 
the work similar to the shape shown at Fig. 13. Practise 
taking a finishing cut with the chisel, working from the 
centre of the block to the ends and using the chisel both 
to the right and left from the centre. Remember, as a 




jTTiF 




FIG. 14. STAGES IN TURNING A HOLLOW, ETC. 



general rule, to keep the tee-rest as near to the work as 
possible, say J-in. clearance, and bear in mind that, as 
the block is reduced in diameter, you must adjust the 
rest so as to follow up the continually diminishing 
diameter. 

The worker should continue practising with the gouge 
and the chisel until the wood is reduced to such a size 
that it has to be discarded. 



Turning Small Objects 

Turning a Hollow. — Next try to turn a hollow with 
a f-in. or J-in. gouge. Fig. 14, A, shows the completed 
concave curve. B shows the method of using the gouge 
to give the first or opening cut, and this cut is gradually 
widened out until it is ready for the finishing cut. C 
illustrates the commencement of the finishing cut ; the 
gouge is held so that the cutting edge is vertical, and at 
the same time (as the gouge is worked forward into the 
hollow) the right hand twists it, as indicated by the 
arrow at D. This twisting of the gouge is continued 
until reaching the deepest point of the concavity, at 
which point the gouge will be on its back, as indicated 
atE. 

The left-hand half of the hollow is worked out by 
starting at the left of the cut and reversing the cutting 
operations, thus finishing the cut at its smallest diameter. 
The general rule to be remembered is to work "down- 
hill " as it were. 

When starting the cut at C it is important that the tool 
be held at a correct cutting angle, and with the edge of 
the tool that is in contact with the work vertical. If 
the tool be advanced at an incorrect angle with the edge 
not vertical, the worker will find that it has a tendency 
to run along the face of the work, thus scarring the 
finished surface with an unsightly spiral cut which will 
spoil the work. For instance, if, when starting the cut C, 
the gouge is held as shown in position D, the power 
exerted by the revolving wood will twist the gouge flat 
upon its back and tear the wood away. 

A considerable amount of practice will be necessary 
at this stage of the work, and it is important to firmly 
grasp the handle of the gouge with the right hand. 

Rounding Off. — Next attempt rounding off the end 
as shown at F. Start the cut with the gouge almost flat 
upon its back, twisting the handle of the gouge to the 
right at the same time as the point goes towards the 

*5 



Wood Turning 

centre of the wood. This will bring the gouge into the 
position shown at F — that is, with the cutting edge in 
contact with the work, vertical. 

Squaring Down the end of the wood with a gouge is 
shown at G, and from start to finish of this cut the edge 
of the gouge is held in a vertical position. 

The reader will clearly understand that all the above 
tool operations, although shown in most instances 
working from left to right, can be manipulated from 
right to left by reversing the position of the tool. 

Stepping or Sinking Down the work may next be 
attempted, such as recessing the handle of a dumb- 




FIG. 15. STAGES IN STEPPING DOWN OR SINKING \ 

ROUNDING OFF A BEAD, ETC. 



bell, similar to I. The gouge is first used to rough out 
the work in 1, 2, 3, or more cuts, as shown in the upper 
half of sketch H. After roughing in to the approximate 
shape, the shoulder is cut down by taking a light cut with 
the chisel as H, 4. The chisel commences the cut at the 
highest point of the turning and is advanced in the 
direction of the arrow until the required distance is set 
in, it is now turned upon its side and used as at H, 5. 
After finishing out the corner, the chisels are used in an 
exactly opposite manner, to work away and finish the 
right-hand corner. 

16 






Turning Small Objects 

Where a very narrow recess has to be turned out, it 
will be necessary to use a parting tool, as at J. 

Rounding Off a Bead with the chisel is shown at 
K, L and M. The tool is held at K, and by gradually 
twisting the handle to the left, as shown at I (see arrow), 
the tool will assume the position shown at M, which is 
the completion of the cut. The ordinary vee cut is 
made with the chisel (N, Fig. 16). For the first cut or 
incision, hold the cutting edge perfectly vertical, then 




Fig. 16. — A Vee Cut. Fig. 17. — Showing 

Direction of Tool. 

take a cut at each side of this centre line in a similar 
position to that shown at L. 

For Finishing Tool Handles or similar articles of 
spherical or semi-spherical shape the chisel is used. Start 
with the tool flat upon its side as at K (Fig. 15), and 
gradually twist the handle, as at L, until at the finishing 
point the edge of the chisel is vertical as at M. Fig. 17, 
O, shows the rounding of a handle, the position of the 
tool being about two-thirds of the distance down the 
cut. The whole of this handle would have the 
finishing cut given to it by the turning chisel, working 
from the highest points downwards as indicated by the 
arrows. 

The worker will have to give considerable attention 
and practice of the use of the chisel for finishing, as it is 

W.T. J 7 C 



JVood Turning 



probably the most difficult of all turning tools to success- 
fully manipulate. When a certain amount of freedom 
of cut has been attained by constant practice, he should 
attempt to turn one or two objects to certain dimensioned 
sizes, and for this purpose he will find the necessity of 
using the callipers. 

Callipers. — Figs. 19, A and C, illustrate the same pair 
of callipers. At C the legs are simply crossed over so as 
to form a pair of inside callipers. At Fig. 18 a pair of 




fig. 18 — Fig. 19A. — 

EGG CALLIPERS. CALLIPERS. 



FIG. I9B. — FIG. igc. 

IN-AND-OUT CALLIPERS 

CALLIPERS. (I9A REVERSED) 



6-in. egg callipers is shown, whilst Fig. 19 B illustrates 
a pair of combined " in-and-out " callipers. In-and-out 
callipers, if correctly made, always show the same dis- 
tance at each end ; thus, if the egg portion of the callipers 
be set to one inch, the inside callipers at the reverse end 
will also show one inch. This is of great advantage to 
the worker, because he can use the egg portion of the 
callipers to gauge the diameter of a turned pin, and, by 
simply using the opposite end of the callipers, he can 
gauge a hole to fit the pin without any further adjust- 
ment of the thumb-screw. 

18 



Turning Small Objects 




FIG. 20. HANDLED 

WOOD turner's GAUGE. 



TIG. 21. HOME-MADE 

WOODEN GAUGE. 



19 



Wood Turning 

. Fig. 20 shows the handled wood turner's gauge, which 
is a most useful tool where there is a great amount of 
repetition work to be done. For the callipering of general 




FIG. 22. — USING THE WOOD GAUGE. 

work up to i -in. in diameter, the home-made contrivance 
shown at Fig. 21 is very useful. A series of holes ranging 
from f in. to 1 in. is bored in a piece of hardwood, which 





FIG. 23. — TESTING 

DIAMETER WITH 

OUTSIDE CALLIPERS. 



FIG. 24. — TESTING INTERIOR RECESS 
WITH INSIDE CALLIPERS. 



may be about f in. or f in. in thickness. The centres of 
the holes are kept in a straight line, and the wood is then 
sawn down the centre with a very fine saw; the worker 
has thus a series of gauges, of graduated sizes, which 



20 



Turning Small Objects 

can be used in conjunction with his centre or twist boring 
bits. The end of this wooden gauge may be hinged as 
shown so as to prevent one of the pieces from being 



j45* 







pK , 25. EXERCISE IN TURNED WORK. 

(ALL DIMENSIONS ARE GIVEN.) 




FIG , 26. ANOTHER TURNING EXERCISE. 

(THE END PARTS, WITH DIAGONAL LINES, ARE SQUARE.) 



— r 




FIG. 27. TURNING A CHISEL OR FILE HANDLE. 



mislaid or lost. The method of using this gauge is to 
open it and place it around the work as shown at Fig. 22. 
The egg callipers are used by passing them around the 
work as at Fig. 23. (The lathe, of course, is stopped 



21 



Wood Turning 



fTG. 28. — FIG. 29. — FIG. 30. — FIG. 3 1.— 

PARTING TURNING SCRAPING TURNING 

TOOL. GOUGE. TOOL. CHISEL. 



22 



Turning Small Objects 

during the testing operation.) The inside callipers are 
used for obtaining the diameter of an internal recess, as, 
for instance, that shown at Fig. 24. 

Examples. — The turner is now advised to try one or 
two examples, such as those given at Figs. 25 and 26, 
to the dimensioned sizes. Note that, where diagonal 
lines are drawn on turning patterns, it means that these 
portions are to be left square. The turner at this stage 
will probably desire to try his hand on such objects as 
chisel and file handles. If this is the case he should 
first slip his brass or steel ferrule over the end of the dead 
centre as shown at Fig. 27. This will facilitate the turn- 
ing of the pin to fit the ferrule without the trouble of 
callipering the pin ; he can simply try the pin from time 
to time by sliding it on to the handle as indicated by the 
arrow. F denotes the ferrule in this drawing. Leave a 
piece at the left hand of the handle, about one inch long, 
so as to avoid damaging the edge of the tools on the live 
or running spur. When the handle is finished, and just 
before removing the turning from the lathe, this small 
piece may be cut away by using the turning chisel edge- 
ways up. 

Finishing with Glass-paper.— Turnings are finished 
by glass-papering. A piece of folded glass-paper is 
held in the hand and generally applied at the 
back of the work. Undulating work is followed by the 
fingers, and small squares, fillets, etc., are papered by 
folding the glass-paper and using the folded edge. The 
work may be first glass-papered with fine 2-grade glass- 
paper, and finished with No. ij. 

After completing the glass- papering, it is usual to grasp 
a handful of fine shavings which will have collected on 
the lathe, and by holding these shavings in the hand 
and grasping the work in a similar manner to that shown 
at Fig. 8 in the previous chapter the work is brought 
to a finish by friction (see also pp. 91 and 92). 

33 



Wood Turning 

Rolling pins, potato mashers and, in fact, any turnery 
that is going to come in contact with water, should be 
treated as follows. After finishing, as described above, 
take a sponge or rag, which has been dipped in hot water 
and wet the whole of the surface of the turned article. 
Allow this to thoroughly dry, and then repeat the glass- 
papering and friction polishing process. After this 
treatment the grain of the wood will have no tendency 
to rise when it comes in contact with moisture. 

Tools. — Fig. 28 shows a parting tool, Fig. 29 a |-in. 
turning gouge, Fig. 30 a scraping tool for concave work, 
and Fig. 31 the wood turner's chisel. The methods of 
sharpening and grinding these tools are dealt with in 
the next chapter. 

Many workers make scraping tools out of old files, 
and, as these can be easily made and re-ground to the 
required sections, they will be found most economical. 
Home-made tools should, of course, be mounted on 
handles of similar shape to the bought ones. 



24 



TOOLS : 
GRINDING AND SHARPENING 

F good turning is to be accomplished, it is necessary 
that all the tools which are used should carry a keen, 
sharp cutting edge. In fact, many common turnery 
articles, such as file handles and chair spindles, are 
frequently left as finished direct from the tool, and for 

A work of the above class a sharp finishing cut is 

absolutely necessary. 




FIG. 32. — GRINDING A GOUGE. (METHOD ADOPTED BY 
TRADE OR PROFESSIONAL TURNERS. BY THIS METHOD 
RIDGES ARE WOVEN ON THE GRINDSTONE.) 

For Grinding and Sharpening, the following 
appliances will be necessary : — A grindstone, an oil- 
stone in a case, and a few assorted oilslips. The slips 
and oilstone may be the well-known " Washita/' or 
" India medium " variety. 

The trade or professional wood turner usually grinds 
his gouges as shown at Fig. 32, and he very soon wears 
suitable ridges in the face of his grindstone so as to fit 
the various sizes of his turning gouges. This method 
is an excellent one for the professional turner ; but it 
is less adv.** tageous to the amateur, who, after grinding 

25 



Wood Turning 

his turning gouges to-day, may possibly desire to grind 
the iron of a smoothing plane the following day, when 
he would experience considerable difficulty in obtaining 
a true cutting edge on his iron. 




FIG. 33. GRINDING A GOUGB. 




FIG. 34. — GRINDING THE TURNING CHISEL. 



The difficulty of grinding a true wide blade on the 
face of a grindstone scored with ridges is apparent even 
to the beginner, and he is advised to grind his gouges 
as at Fig. 33. The direction of rotation of the grindstone 

26 



Tools : Grinding and Sharpening 

is shown, and the worker twists his right hand backwards 
and forwards, as indicated by the arrows. If the gouges 
are ground by this method, and the worker occasionally 
moves his gouges across the width of the grindstone, 
he will find little difficulty in keeping the face of the stone 
fairly even. 

At Fig. 34 is illustrated the grinding of the turning 
chisel. This chisel is ground on both sides, and the 
approximate angle of inclination is shown at Fig. 35. 




FIG. 35. CHISEL EDGE. 



During the whole of the grinding process a plentiful 
supply of water should be fed on to the grindstone so 
as to keep the steel blade cool, and to wash away the 
particles of ground steel from the pores of the stone. 

Sharpening.— After grinding, the sharpening, or 
wetting, is attempted. The turning chisels are rubbed 
on the oilstone as shown at Fig. 36. The tool is 
sharpened from both sides, and the wire edge may be 
removed by pressing the cutting edge into a waste piece 
of hard wood. Some workers, after sharpening the 
tools, finish them off by stropping the edge on a piece 
of leather, but this is quite unnecessary unless the work 

27 



Wood Turning 

is for exhibition purposes, and has to be finished " left 
from the tool." 
For sharpening up the gouges the tapered India oil 




FIG. 36. — OILSTONE. 



FIG. 37. — OILSLIP. 



FIG. 38. — WORN OILSLIP. 



FIG. 39- TAPERED CYLIN- 
DRICAL OILSLIP. 



FIG. 40. — OILSLIP WITH 

FEATHEREDGE. 



FIG. 41. — TAPERED INDIA 
OILSLIP. 



OILSTONES AND OILSLIPS. 



slip illustrated at Fig. 41 is the handiest. This slip is 
6 ins. long, convex on one side and concave on the other, 
and tapering uniformly to the point. It is used as shown 

28 



Tools : Grinding and Sharpening 

at Fig. 42 ; that is, with a to-and-fro motion, and at the 
same time a twisting movement as indicated by the 
arrows. After rubbing the outside of the gouge the 




FIG# 42. — USING A CONCAVE AND CONVEX OILSLIP 
FOR GOUGE. 




-REMOVING THE WIRE EDGE 
FROM GOUGE. 



wire edge is removed by taking an oilslip similar to Fig. 
37 and using it inside the gouge, as at Fig. 43. Fig. 38 
shows an oilstone similar to Fig. 37, with the exception 
that the former is worn by constant use to fit the outsides 

29 



Wood Turning 

of the f-in. and §-in. gouges. Fig. 39 shows a tapered 
cylindrical oilslip, and Fig. 40 illustrates an oilslip with 
a feather edge, used to sharpen vee-shaped turning 
tools. The beginner, however, will find that he can 
get along fairly well in the early stages of his work with 
the oilslips shown at Figs. 37 and 41. 

Neat's-foot oil is considered to be one of the best 
lubricators for use with oilslips. 



THE BACK STAY 

SAWING AND BORING 

FIG. 44 is an illustration of an adjustable back rest, 
and this is a very useful device for supporting long 
material, and thus ensuring a better result. It has 
a vertical adjustment of ij ins. in the rest socket 
and a horizontal adjustment of ij ins., and it will 
support work up to 6 ins. in diameter. The 
contact wheels are adjustable from zero to 2§ ins. The 





FIG. 44. 



•SHOWING THE ADJUSTABLE 


FIG. 45. 


BACK REST. 


WOODEN 




BACK STAY 



base of this back stay is fitted on to the bed of the lathe 
in precisely the same manner as the tee rest. 

Back Rest. — This accessory can be bought for 
about 37s. 6d. , and it is well worth the money to any one 
constantly engaged upon long, slender work, such as 
masts for model yachts, the delicate legs of fire-screens, 
batons for musical conductors, billiard cues, etc. 

3i 



Wood Turning 

Back Stay. — Of course, it is not every amateur who 
can afford such an outlay, and if this be the case he will 
have to use the home-made wooden back stay shown 
at Fig. 45. This is generally made out of a piece of birch 




FIG. 46. — ILLUSTRATING USE OF BACK STAY FOR 
LONG SLENDER SPINDLES. 

wood, about f in. in thickness, the vee notch or semi- 
circular recess being cut in it to accommodate the 
particular piece of stock on which the worker is engaged. 
The method of fixing this home-made back stay to the 
bed of the lathe so as to support the work is shown at 
Fig. 46. A back stay is used to support slender work 



FIG. 47. — CIRCULAR SAW SPINDLE. 



so that it will offer a certain amount of resistance to 
the cutting edge of the tool. If no back stay be used 
the work will bounce away from the tool, and conse- 
quently the work will be rough and full of ridges ; in 
fact, probably a fracture will occur. 

32 



The Back Stay 

The following hints will be useful when the back stay 
has to be used. First centre up the work and fix the 
tee rest in such a position that it is in the centre of the 
proposed turning. Set the work revolving and bring 
the gouge carefully up to the work, taking very light 
cuts. The work will probably begin to spring away 
from the tool, and, if this is the case, hold the left hand 
behind the work so as to form a temporary back stay. 




FIG. 48. — SAW SPINDLE AND SAW IN LATHE. 

This will enable you to give the necessary resistance 
to turn the work cylindrical for a distance of about 
i| ins. 

Now stop the lathe and fix your back stay, as shown 
at Fig. 46 ; rub a little composite candle on the work 
so as to reduce friction where the turning runs in the 
back stay, and proceed with the turning in the ordinary 
manner. When the turning at each side of the back 
stay has been completed, remove your back stay from 
A to B (Fig. 46), and finish up the remaining member 
of the turning. 

Without resorting to some such temporary appliance 
as a back stay, the worker will find it is quite impossible 
to turn long and slender work. 

Circular Saw. — Much has been written upon the 
use of small circular saws in conjunction with the turning 

w.i. 33 d 



Wood Turning 




34 



The Back Stay 

lathe ; and, whilst admitting that the saw speed is not 
all that can be desired, the fact still remains that the 
amateur may obtain a great amount of useful work by such 
a combination. For a saw spindle the writer obtained 
a hub out of a bicycle wheel and turned down one end to 
a taper, so as to fit his lathe (Fig. 47). The saw spindle 
is fitted into the lathe as Fig. 48. The temporary saw 
bench is made of timber, so as to accommodate a circular 
saw of 4 ins. in diameter, having eight teeth to the inch. 

A sketch of the temporary bench is illustrated at 
Fig. 50, and a side view of the bench fitted to the lathe 
bed is also given. The bench top is hinged at the 
right-hand end (Fig. 50) with a 3-in. brass butt hinge. 
This arrangement allows the left-hand end of the bench 
to be unscrewed, lifted up, and, by the use of a suitable 
strip of temporary packing, the top of the saw table 
may be adjusted to the desired height for rebating. 

The writer has found the above appliance to answer 
splendidly for rebating the edge of door frames for light 
cabinet work, and he uses the strips which are cut away 
from the rebates to bead in door panels, etc. 

The saw table is held in position with the same bolt 
and washer as is used to hold down the tool rest. 

Sizes for this small sawing table cannot be given, 
because much will depend upon the size of the lathe 
centres and the width of the lathe bed and saw spindle. 
The approximate sizes are : — Length, 11 ins. ; and 
width, 5 ins. An adjustable fence may be made out 
of wood, I in. in thickness, and this is secured by ordinary 
flat-headed screws, which fit in slots, as shown in Fig. 50. 

Drilling Machine — By removing the dead centre 
A, Fig. 48, and substituting a three- jawed self-centreing 
chuck and boring bit, as at Fig. 49 (page 34), a really 
serviceable horizontal drilling machine for either wood 
or iron may be improvised. The necessary pressure to 
feed the wood or iron towards the drill is obtained by 
screwing up the hand- wheel at the end of the tail stock. 

35 »a 



SPLIT TURNINGS, TURNED 
MOULDINGS, ETC. 

REPRODUCTIONS of Jacobean furniture are at 
the present time so popular with the public that 
we may well devote a chapter to the making 
of split turnings. These are principally used for 
the ornamentation of pilasters and panels. Fig. 51 
is a sketch of the pilaster of a fireplace jamb, and 
the enlarged drawing (Fig. 52, A) shows the detail of the 
split turning. 

The simplest and most effective method of arriving 
at this result is as follows : — Take two pieces of timber, 
as shown at Fig. 53, and carefully plane them up so that, 
when placed together as at Fig. 54, they form a square 
when viewed at the end. Glue the two pieces together, 
with a piece of newspaper between them, and apply the 
necessary pressure so as to make a good joint by using 
one or more handscrews or cramps, as at Fig. 54. When 
the glue is set, mark out diagonal lines at each end, and 
carefully centre the work between the headstock and 
tailstock of the lathe, using, if possible, the type of live 
driving spur illustrated at Fig. 55. This spur, or driving 
centre, allows the work to be carefully centred up, and 
avoids any tendency to open up the glued joint. 

The work is now turned to the desired shape, and, 
when finished, the two pieces of wood may be separated 
by sliding the thin blade of an ordinary table knife down 
the glued joint. The result will be that two split turnings 
are formed at one operation ; moreover, the back of 
each will be true and level, and will thus bed on to the 
face of the pilaster without the worker having to plane 
up the back of the turning. 

36 



Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc. 

To plane up the back of a split turning, especially if 
it has been sawn out of a solid piece of turnery, is an 
irritating and tedious job, even if the worker makes a 




FIG. 51. — PILASTER WITH 
SPLIT TURNING. 



FIG. 52. — DETAIL OF 
TURNING. 



saddle or jig to hold the turning during the planing 
process, and the difficulty is increased if the split turning 
be of slender and delicate proportions. 

Whether the split turnings be of large or small design 
the turner who has not access to a " dimension " saw 

37 



Wood Turning 

will be well advised to glue up his work in the manner 
described. Split turnings, such as pearl or fancy 
headings, may be turned in this manner, no matter 
whether the section be a half or a quarter of a circle. 




FIG. 53. — PREPARING THE WOOD. 

Mouldings under sideboard tops and Continental 
clocks, etc., are frequently turned up in the lathe, and 
for the amateur who cannot work mouldings with a set 
of hollow and round planes much effective work may be 
added by using split mouldings. 




FIG. 54. — GLUEING THE WOOD. 

At Fig. 56 is shown a turned beaded moulding under 
the top of a dressing-table. The beads (or mouldings) 
of these (see sections at Figs. 57 and 58) are turned in 
the lathe. The procedure is as follows : — The pieces 
which are to form the moulding are glued around a 

38 



Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc. 

square core of pine, as shown at Fig. 59 ; and it is 
essential that the core piece be planed up true and square, 
and that the outside pieces be thicknessed up before they 
are glued in their position with the pieces of paper 
separating the joints. The piece, Fig. 59, which should 




FIG. 55. — DRIVING SPUR. 

be made as long as the bed of the lathe will permit, is 
now truly centred up, and, after being turned cylindri- 
cally, the beads or mouldings are turned upon it as 
indicated at Fig. 60. S shows where the turning will 



C top 




<-BElADir4G — 

FIG. 56. — MITRED CORNER OF BEAD MOULDING. 



be split with a knife blade , and, when the pieces are 
separated, it will give the worker four pieces similar to 
Fig. 62, which will be turned along their entire length 
with beads. These pieces are now permanently glued 
upon a pine backing, and their edges are planed away as 
shown at Fig. 61. The beaded moulding, if not of 
sufficient length to span from one end of the work to the 

39 



Wood Turning 

other, is butt-jointed, care being taken that the joint is 
at the juncture of two beads so as to hide the division. 
Some little difficulty often occurs with the mitreing of 
this type of moulding, especially when the length of the 
mitred moulding is not a multiple of the number of the 



fig. 57. fig. 58. 

SECTIONS OF BEAD MOULDINGS. 



beads. To avoid this many Continental workers leave 
the mitred ends plain, as shown at Fig. 56 ; but some 
members make a more effective finish to this otherwise 
plain mitre by finishing it with acanthus leaf carving. 




FIG. 59. GLUEING UP THE PIECES ON A CENTRAL PIECE OF 

STOCK. 



The Use of the Arbor. — An arbor may be described 
as a temporary piece of tapered steel or wood on which 
hollow articles are turned. Bobbin makers and others, 
who are constantly engaged upon hollow work, have 
specially long live spurs, which form a combined driving 
centre and arbor. The amateur, and frequently the 

40 



Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc. 




FIG. 60. — PREPARING WOOD FOR TURNED MOULDING. 





FIG. 62. — SPLIT 
MOULDING. 




FIG. 6l. — MOULDING FIG. 63. — TEMPORARY WOODEN 

BACKED. ARBOR. 




F IG , 64. — METHOD OF TURNING TOY CANNON. 



JVood Turning 

trade turner, whose type of work is of an ever-varying 
nature, uses a temporary wooden arbor, which he makes 
specially for the particular job he may be engaged upon. 

Fig. 63 illustrates a temporary wooden arbor, which 
consists of a piece of hardwood which has a slight taper 



FIG. 




BORING WOOD TO MAKE AN ARBOR. 



lengthways. Fig. 64 shows the method of turning up 
the barrel of a small wooden toy cannon, or other similar 
object, in which it is necessary that the inside and outside 
portions be concentric. The block of wood is first 
prepared by boring it lengthways with a twist bit, as 




FIG. 66. — ELECTRICAL 
BOBBIN. 



FIG. 67. — END OF 
VICE HANDLE. 



FIG. 68. TURNING 

WHEELS. 



shown at Fig. 65, after which it is pushed fairly tightly 
on to the arbor and placed between the lathe centres 
and turned up in the usual manner. If the object has 
any tendency to slip upon the arbor whilst the turning 
and shaping is in progress, slightly damp the arbor, and 
this will have the effect of raising the grain. Chalking 
has a similar effect. 

42 



Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc. 





FIG. 69. TO- 7°- FIG> 7 1 ' 

BULBOUS (OR ACORN-SHAPED) ELIZABETHAN AND JACOBEAN 

TURNINGS. 

Small objects, such as the core bobbin for electrical 
work Fig. 66, and the end piece for a wooden vice 
handle, Fig. 67, are ordinary examples of the class ot 
work turned on an arbor. 

Fig. 68 illustrates four pieces of wood which are glued 

43 



Wood Turning 

together with paper between the joints, ready to be placed 
on an arbor and turned to the required diameter for the 
wheels of a toy locomotive or similar article. The 




FIGS. 72, 73. REDUCED SQUARES. 




*1G. 



74. PLANING UP THE SQUARES OF REDUCED TURNINGS. 

(THE WOOD IS HELD IN THE MITRE TRAP.) 



wheels are then split asunder, the separations being at 
the positions where the paper was glued. If wheels 
are not required to have the grain of the wood running 

44 



Split Turnings, Turned Mouldings, etc. 

in the direction shown, it is, of course, only necessary to 
turn up a cylindrical piece and separate it into the 
required number of pieces with the parting tool. 




fig. 75. fig. 76. fig. 77. 

EXAMPLES OF TURNED PILLARS FOR GATES, 
BALUSTERS, ETC. 



FIG. 78. 
RAILINGS, 



Elizabethan and Jacobean Turnings. — The type 

of leg used during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods 
was similar to the illustrations at Figs. 69, 70, and 71 ; 
the turning is swollen at the centre, and frequently 
referred to as " bulbous " or " acorn " tuning. 

It will be noticed that the turned portion at the centre 

45 



Wood Turning 

is of a much greater measurement than the squares 
which form the top and bottom of the leg. When 
reproducing this kind of turning, which is generally 
known as " turnings with reduced squares," it is usual 
to work away the material at the top and bottom of the 
leg prior to the timber being put into the lathe. The 
squares may be reduced by planing them on a power- 
driven " hand feed " surfacing machine, which gives the 
result shown at Fig. 72 ; or they may be sawn down with 
a hand saw, which leaves them as shown at Fig. 73. 

If the sawing be accomplished by hand the work will 
have to be fixed in the mitre shooting trap, and the 
squares will have to be brought to a finish by planing 
them with a small plane, such as a chariot plane, shown 
at Fig. 74. 

Figs. 75, 76, yy, and 78 illustrate good examples of 
turned pillars suitable for garden gates, garden railings, 
balusters, and general work. 

When work has to be produced at a low price, four 
pieces of wood are glued around the timber so as to 
build up the work. This plan should only be resorted 
to when the joint lines can be hidden, say, by carving; 
even then the built-up work cannot be compared with a 
solid leg. 



46 



TWISTED AND SPIRAL 
TURNINGS 

WISTED turnings are of three distinct types, 
and these are again sub-divided into decorated 
spirals. There is the single twist, the double 
twist, and the triple twist, and work of this class 
is looked upon by most amateurs as something 
in the nature of a mystery. In up-to-date factories 
iwisted turnings are worked on a special type of lathe, 
designed similarly to an engineer's screw-cutting lathe ; 
n this chapter, however, we shall confine our remarks 




FIG. 79. — SINGLE TWIST TURNING, SHOWING PITCH. 

to the methods used b}' the old craftsmen who made 
twisted turnings long before the introduction of modern 
wood-working machinery. 

Single Twists. — First of all we shall consider the 
marking out and the cutting of a single twist as illustrated 
at Fig. 79. The distance travelled by a screw in one 
revolution through the nut is called the " pitch " (see 
Fig. 79), so that, after having turned the work cylindrical, 
the worker will have to decide what pitch he will use for 
his twisted turning. Fig. 79 is 1 in. in diameter, and it 
has a pitch of 1 in. Generally speaking, the pitch is 
equal to the diameter when working an example similar 
to the one shown. 

To Mark Out the Work, divide the circumference 
of the cylindrical portion into four equal parts, and 

47 



Wood Turning 



draw lines lengthways down the cylinder, as at Fig. 80. 
These lines may be drawn by using a pencil and ruler. 



FIG. 80. FIRST STAGE IN MARKING OUT. 

& t, C 





FIG. 8l. SECOND STAGE IN MARKING OUT. 

A I C 




FIG. 82. THIRD STAGE IN MARKING OUT. 




FIG. 83. SINGLE TWIST MARKED OUT. SHADED PORTION 

WILL BECOME THE HOLLOW. 

Put the work into the lathe and set it revolving. Whilst 
it is revolving mark lines with a pencil which are spaced 
I in. apart as illustrated at Fig. 81. The worker is 

48 



Twisted and Spiral Turnings 

advised to use a blue pencil for this purpose, so as to 
avoid confusion later on. When these lines have been 
drawn around the work, take it out of the lathe and draw 
a spiral line (Fig. 82) from 1 through d ; through e ; 
through /; and on to g. This line may be drawn 
freehand ; or, better still, make a strip of thin cardboard 
and fold it around the cylinder so that its edge runs 
through the above-mentioned points 1, d, e, f, g. Then, 
holding the cardboard in position, run your pencil along 
the top edge, and it will neatly mark a spiral line which 
will run through the desired points of intersection. 

This spiral line, which is shown at Fig. 82, is the line 
A A shown on the finished sketch, Fig. 79 ; in other 
words, it is the spiral line at the top of the round portion 
of the twist. 

The next step is to divide the distances 1 to d ; d to 
e ; etof; and /to g (Fig. 82) into three equal portions, 
as at Fig. 83. The shaded portion shown in this sketch 
will eventually be cut away to form the hollow portion 
of the spiral. 

After the marking out is completed, the work is again 
placed between the lathe centres, and the driving strap 
is thrown off the pulley. Hold the pulley or the work 
with the left hand, and with a tenon saw cut a vee notch 
down the work, as at Fig. 84. First use the tenon saw, 
cutting to the right ; then use it cutting towards the left ; 
the work meanwhile being rotated slowly with the left 
hand. This will remove the superfluous timber and leave 
a roughly-cut vee notch which will, later on, form the 
hollow of the twist. 

Take a |-in. chisel, as at Fig. 85, and by paring away 
the wood it will round the timber as shown. After this 
the hollow portion is eased out with a suitable gouge 
(f-in. or £-in.), and the hollow portion is filed up with 
a J-in. rat-tailed file. The work is slowly revolved with 
the left hand during this filing process, and eventually 
it is completed by glass-papering the whole of the 

W.T. 49 E 



Wood Turning 



piece. The beginner should make his first experiment 
with a single twist ; and, after becoming conversant 
with the method of working, he should then set out and 
cut a double twist. 



Double Twist. — Fig. 86 shows a double 
marked out and in the lathe ready for cutting. 



twist, 
Fig. 84 







FIG. 84.— CUTTING THE NOTCH. 




FIG. 85. 



-PARING AND ROUNDING OVER 
THE TWIST. 



illustrates the method of sawing away the waste material. 
Fig. Sy shows one hollow spiral of the double twist 
roughly sawn away ; and after this step it is, of course, 
necessary to saw away the waste material from the other 
hollow spiral, which is shown shaded in this illustration, 
so as not to confuse the worker. Fig. 88 shows the 
double twist when finished. 

50 



Twisted and Spiral Turnings 




FIG. 86. — DOUBLE TWIST, MARKED OUT. 




FIG. 87. — ONE PORTION OF A DOUBLE TWIST 
ROUGHLY SAWN. 




FIG. 88. — DOUBLE TWIST FINISHED. 



51 



Wood Turning 






Occasionally the worker is required to produce a 
double-twisted turning in which the strands are 
separated, as at Fig. 89. When this is the case, the 



FIG. 89. — DOUBLE TWIST. 
SEPARATE STRANDS. 



FIG. 90. — TRIPLE TWIST, WITH 
SEPARATE STRANDS. 



double twist is finished similar to that shown at Fig. 88 ; 
after which a series of holes is bored through the hollow 
portions with a twist-bit, as shown at Fig. 91. The 
work is then pared up so as to separate the strands, and 

52 



Twisted and Spiral Turnings 

filed and glass-papered to a finish. Fig. 89 shows a 
double twist with the strands separated. 

Triple-twisted Turning. — Fig. 90 illustrates a 
tapered twisted turning having three strands, which 
are separated. This, of course, is the most difficult and 
the most effective type of twisted work. To mark out 



y 



FIG. 91. DOUBLE TWIST, BORED AND READY FOR 

SEPARATING. 

a three-strand twist the cylinder is trisected lengthways 
instead of dividing it into four equal portions, as was 
shown at Fig. 81. 

If the beginner finds any difficulty in setting out a 
spiral, he may make use of the following method. Cut 
a strip of paper about 1 in. wide and, say, 2 ft. long. 




FIG. 92. — EXAMPLE OF CHAIR LEG, WITH CLUB FOOT. 

Glue or paste one side of the paper and wind it around 
the cylinder similar to a barber's pole, the paper, of 
course, being laid on the wood evenly, and without 
puckers or blisters. The portions of the work not 
covered by the strip of paper should be cut away and 
finished as previously described. 

Turning Clubbed Foot Legs.— Chair legs having 
club feet, as shown at Fig. 92, are turned up on two 
centres ; that is, they are first turned up in the ordinary 
way by using the true centres. After this operation, the 

53 



Wood Turning 

centre at the toe is moved about a J or f in. as occasion 
demands, and the foot is then turned up again, thus 
giving it the appearance shown in the sketch. The 



FIG. 93. 

CABRIOLE LEG 
MARKED OUT. 



FIG. 94. 

CABRIOLE LEG 
SAWN. 




centre at the top of the leg is not altered during the 
turning process. 

Queen Anne and Cabriole Legs. — The toes of 
Queen Anne and cabriole legs are generally turned in 
the lathe, as this method gives a guide to the work 




FIG. 95. CABRIOLE LEG FINISHED. 

generally. Fig. 93 shows a block of wood on which the 
toe portion has been turned and the square portion 
marked out for sawing. Note that the toe portion 
can only be turned until it reaches the highest point 
of the diameter of the toe, as shown in the sketch. The 
leg portion is now sawn away square, as shown at Fig. 
94 ; and after this the work is brought to a finish by 
nsing the chisel, the spokeshave, the file, and glass-paper, 
as at Fig. 95. 



54 



CHUCKS, FACE PLATES, ETC. 

CHUCKS are appliances which are used to hold 
the timber securely and firmly on to the lathe 
mandrel. At Fig. 96 the headstock of the lathe 
is shown, with the metal chuck (A) unscrewed. 
Immediately to the right-hand of A is illustrated 
the tapered steel prong or fork which holds the 
work. 




FIG. 96. — HEADSTOCK OF LATHE \ A, METAL CHUCK ,* 
B, WOODEN SPLIT CHUCK ; C, END VIEW OF B. 



The chuck (A) is generally supplied with the lathe 
and it may be used for many other purposes besides 
holding the tapered prong which is shown. For instance, 
at Fig. 97, we show a small ornament which is turned 
down by supporting the timber at one end only, the 
tailstock of the lathe being dispensed with for this 
particular purpose. The piece of wood is pared, or turned 
down, so that one end of it may be driven tightly into 
the chuck (A, Fig. 96). The timber is thus held by 
friction, whilst the ornament is turned up and finished. 

Split Chuck. — Another type of home-made wooden 
chuck, called a split chuck, is shown at Fig. 96, B. It 
is necessary to use suitable wood for chucks of this type, 
or they will not wear well. Sycamore and plane tree 

55 



JVood Turning 




Chucks, Face Plates, etc. 

are fairly tough and hard, whilst not liable to spring 
and twist. Failing these, a good tough piece of bass 
wood will make a good substitute. Beech is often 
recommended, but is really unsuitable, being too 
hard for the metal thread to cut into it. Boxwood is 
also a suitable material, but the above objection also 
applies here. A very good method, especially with the 
harder woods, is to bore a suitable hole and work the 
ordinary metal tap into it, so as to cut the thread in 
exactly the same manner as is used when tapping a 
metal thread. The thread should be cut into the blocks, 




FIG. 98. — HOME-MADE SCREW CHUCK. 

end way of the grain, and, as a rule, the wood should be 
used that way of the grain. 

Home-made wooden chucks are, of course, not to be 
compared with metal ones ; but for the beginner they 
will answer all purposes, and, if used with care, they 
will wear for many years. 

The Split Chuck at Fig. 96, B (of which the end 
view is shown at C), is made as follows : — Take a piece 
of wood, about 3 ins. long by 2 J ins. square ; bore a 
hole in one end of the wood and work a thread in it, so 
that it will screw tightly on to the nose of the mandrel. 
Before it is screwed quite home the end of the wood 
must be turned true, and it may with advantage be 

57 



IVood Turning 

turned slightly concave, so that it beds truly on its 
outside edge against the shoulder of the mandrel. The 
block is now screwed tightly on the mandrel, and is 
turned up truly to the shape shown at Fig. 96, B. The 
recess C (Fig. 96) is then turned out to a suitable diameter, 
say, 1 in., or in accordance with the diameter of the 
work which it is intended to hold. The chuck must 
now be removed from the lathe, and the front end is 
slotted down with a tenon saw, the cuts being made at 
right angles. Four f-in. holes may be bored at the 




;ssra 



FIG. 99. METAL CHUCK \ A, HOLE \ B, TOMMY BAR. 

END VIEW ALSO SHOWN. 



bottom of the saw kerfs, so as to allow the chuck to open 
slightly when the wood is forced in position. Thus they 
cause the wood which is to be turned to be gripped 
equally all round and held very tightly. A brass or iron 
ring is now driven on to the chuck so as to compress the 
four jaws, and thus hold the work securely. 

The Screw Chuck. — Fig. 98 shows a wooden chuck 
made similarly to the previous one ; but, instead of 
making saw cuts, two rows of round-headed screws are 
inserted. The points of these screws must be filed off, 
otherwise they will damage the work. This chuck is 
a most useful one, allowing the work to be mounted 

58 



Chucks, Face Plates, etc. 

either centrally or eccentrically. Chucks of this type 
are made in different sizes as occasion demands. 

Fig. 99 illustrates a similar type of metal chuck which 
may be bought from the maker of the lathe. A shows the 
hole, and B illustrates the tommy-bar, which is supplied 
so as to facilitate the screwing and unscrewing of the 
chuck on the lathe mandrel. 

Fig. ioo is a section of a screw chuck which is most 
useful when a metal face plate is not supplied with the 




FIG. IOO. — SECTION OF SCREW CHUCK, SUITABLE 
FOR USING WHEN LATHE HAS NO FACE PLATE. 



lathe. The piece of hardwood (A) is first turned up, 
and the centre hole is turned out to fit the diameter of 
the thread that is on the mandrel. The face of the 
block (A) is then turned up truly. The block is now 
removed from the lathe, and piece B is turned up and 
glued and screwed upon the face of A. The work is 
next placed upon the mandrel, and the whole of the block 
is turned up truly on its outside edges. A temporary 
small face plate or simple screw chuck is thus evolved. 
E is the recess at the back of piece B ; and C is a good 
stout gauge screw which holds the wood to the surface 
of the chuck. 

59 



Wood Turning 

Face Plates. — Fig. 101 illustrates the type of cast- 
iron face plate, generally about 9 ins. in diameter, which 
is supplied by the maker ; A is the front view, B the 
back view, and C shows the front view after the worker 
has bolted on a i-in. piece of wood and fitted a suitable 
centre screw, as described in the case of Fig. 100. The 
object of fixing a piece of wood on the face of this plate 
is to prevent the worker from allowing his turning tool 
to come in contact with the metal, and thus necessitate 
frequent grinding and sharpening. 




FIG. IOI. FACE PLATE \ A, FRONT 

VIEW ; B, BACK VIEW ; C, FRONT 
VIEW WITH WOOD FACE. 



FIG. I02. — CHUCK 

FOR TURNING 

DISCS. 



Fig. 102 is a chuck for turning discs which have a 
central hole in them. The discs are first bored to slip 
over the screwed portion of the chuck. The conical 
shaped piece of boxwood which has a hole bored through 
its centre is forced into the hole of the disc by the nut 
shown in the illustration, thus giving sufficient pressure, 
and at the same time ensuring that the disc be mounted 
centrally upon the lathe. 

Fig. 103 gives a sketch and section of the face plate 
shown at Fig. 101, which has been fitted with a wooden 
cover, in the centre of which a square hole has been cut. 
The object of this appliance is to accommodate square 
legs to engage with the chuck, so as to avoid waste of 

60 



Chucks, Face Plates, etc, 

time in centreing up a quantity of square stock which 
has to be turned into table legs or spindles. The square 




FIG. IO3. — FACE PLATE TO TAKE SQUARE TIMBER. 

of the leg is simply placed in the recess, and the tail 
stock is screwed up in the usual manner. 




FIG. IO4. WORK MOUNTED ON FACE PLATE WITH 

THE REST IN POSITION. 



At Fig. 104 is shown a piece of wood mounted on the 
face plate, and the rest is shown set at right-angles to 
the work ready for the turning up process. 

61 



Wood Turning 



» \ 




62 



Chucks, Face Plates, etc. 

The use of the turning chisel for cutting down and 
finishing the edge of the disc is suggested at Fig. 105, 
whilst at Fig 108 the same tool is shown sinking a 
central recess. 




FIG. IO7. SKETCH OF JIG REQUIRED FOR TURNING UPPER 

PART OF BACK LEG OF CHAIR (SEE FIG. Io6). 

Turning Shaped Chair Leg. — A specimen of work 
which is often somewhat of a mystery to the amateur 
turner is given at Fig. 106. A shaped back leg of a 




FIG. I08. SINKING RECESS IN TURNED PATERA. 

chair is shown, and it is desired to turn the upper portion 
into a spindle having a finial at the end of it. This leg 
is carried in a jig or saddle, so that the axis is central. 
J shows the jig, or saddle, and S is the metal strap that 
is temporarily used to hold the work together. Fig. 107 

63 



Wood Ttirning 

is a sketch of the jig. At P two screws, I \ ins. long, have 
been screwed into the jig, with their heads filed off to 
resemble nail points. The chair leg receives these 
points at the foot, and the strap (S) holds all securely 




FIG. log. — A ROUNDING TOOL. 




FIG. I IO. — ANOTHER TYPE OF ROUNDING TOOL. 



together. Some workers prefer to make the lower 
portion of the jig into box form, so that the leg snugly 
fits inside it. Care must be taken in this class of work 
that the jig be made so as to give a true running balance, 
and the same weight of timber must be left above the 

64 



Chucks, Face Plates, etc. 

axis (Fig. 106) as there is below ; otherwise vibration 
and consequent bad work will be the result. 

Suggestions such as the above will enable any ingenious 
worker to carry out much that at first sight appears 
almost impossible to manipulate in the wood-turning 
lathe. 

Rounding Tools --At Figs. 109 and no two dis- 
tinct types of rounding tools are shown, such as are 
used for the rounding of broomstick handles, blind 
rollers, etc. This type of tool may be used with or 
without a lathe, and this is probably the line of demarca- 
tion between rounding with hand tools and rounding in 
the lathe. The square sticks may be roughed down with 
the gouge whilst the lathe is revolving, after which the 
tailstock is slackened and the rounding tool is slipped 
over the dead centre. The tailstock is then screwed up 
and the work is revolved in the lathe, whilst the rounding 
tool is pushed by hand towards the lathe headstock. 
When using this class of rounding tool without the 
lathe, the work has the corners chamfered away so as 
to form an octagon ; the work is then secured in the 
vice, and the rounding tool is rotated by hand. 



w.«. 65 



JVooa Turning 







66 



HOLLOWING A VASE— SUPPORT. 

ING COLLARS— TURNED 

MOULDS 



OLLOWING.— Possibly one of the most difficult 
kinds of work for the beginner to tackle is hollow- 
ing on the face plate. At Fig. in is given a 
sketch and dimensioned drawing of a hollow 
wooden vase, which may be used as a receptacle 
for holding safety pins, studs, buttons and similar 
objects. The vase shown was made up in olive wood, 



but any hard wood, such as ash, oak, or beech will answer. 




FIG. III. — TURNED VASB 

WITH SKETCH SHOWING 

DIMENSIONS. 




-*v— * 



The wood is first turned in the form of a cylinder, by 
mounting it between the live centre and the dead centre 

67 TZ 



Wood Turning 




FIG. 112. HOLLOWING A VASE. SHOWING INCLINATION 

OF TOOL REST TO LATHE BED. 




FIG. II2A. HOLLOWING A VASE, SECOND OPERATIOM. 




FIG. II3. — SHOWING POSITION OF TOOL (HELD SL GHTLY 
DOWNWARDS) WHE->I HOLLOWiNG. 



68 



Hollowing a Vase 

of the lathe, after which it may be mounted on the face 
plate or large chuck similar to Fig. ioo or Fig. ioi, c. 
The work will appear as a cylinder mounted on the face 
plate (A, Fig. 112.) The writer, speaking generally, 
prefers to hollow his work before turning up the outside 
of the vase, but no hard and fast rule can be given. 

A hole, about ij ins., is first bored in the centre of the 
vase, so as to remove that portion of the wood around 
the axis. Fix the tool rest so that its inclination is 
about 45 degrees to the lathe bed (Fig. 112), and hold 
the gouge so that the work has a tendency to force the 





FIG. II4. — POSITION OF TOOL 
AT LATER STAGES OF 
THE WORK. 



FIG. II5. SHOWING 

METHOD OF TURNING 
DISCS, ETC. 



tool towards the operator. Figs. 112, 112 a and 113 
show the positions of the tool. When the work has been 
roughed out to a depth of about 1 \ ins. it will be found 
that the leverage is too great to obtain successful results 
by this method, and that the rest and tool will have to 
be used as at Fig. 114. The interior of the vase may be 
finished by using the scraping tool (Fig. 30.) The 
exterior of the vase may now be carefully turned up, and 
the whole of the work finished by using two grades of 
glass-paper. 

Turning Discs. — Fig. 115 is a plan showing the man- 
ner in which discs, such as bread platters, etc., may be 

69 



Wood 1 urning 

turned on the face and trimmed down at the edge. 
Other examples of face plate work which may be sug- 
gested to the amateur are the top ring of a palm stand 
having a moulded edge, and sunk pie top crust table 
tops or shelves. 

Frequently we find that the amateur has not obtained 
a gap bed lathe as illustrated at Fig. 116, and it is there- 
fore necessary when he desires to turn work of a large 
diameter, such as 18-in. or 20-in. circular table tops, he 




FIG. Il6. GAP BED LATHE 



is at a loss to know how to manipulate his work. The 
writer on many occasions has turned up 20-in. table tops 
by fixing the work to the face plate, and reversing his 
headstock so that the work overhangs the end of the 
lathe as shown at Fig. 117. Although not possessed of 
the portable tool rest shown in this illustration he 
manages perfectly well with a temporary home-made 
contrivance on which he has made arrangements to 
mount his existing tee rest. Another method of turning 
large work, such as legs of a large diameter, is to pack 
up the head and tail stock of the lathe with a piece of 

70 



Hollowing a Vase 




FIG. II7. LATHE WITH HEADSTOCK REVERSED, SIDE VIEW J 

ALSO END VIEW, SHOWING THE REST. 




FIG. Il8. — DEEP BORING A ROLLER WITH SPOON AUGER. 
71 



JVood Turning 

3-in. timber and lengthen the driving belt as indicated 
by Fig. 119. 




FIG. 119. — " PACKING" A HEADSTOCK. 

Temporary Supporting Collars are generally home- 
made affairs, and constructed as from time to time may 
be required. They are used to hold up work at the 




FIG. I20. HOW TO TURN 

ASTRAGAL BEADING FOR 
BOOKCASE DOORS. 



FIG. 121. TURNING 

QUARTER CIRCLES FOR 
DOOR FRAMES. 



opposite end to the headstock. Fig. 118 is an illustration 
of the method of boring a dividing roller as used in a 
cotton mill. The roller is first roughed down between 
the ordinary centres, and a small shoulder (D) is turned 



Hollowing a Vase 

on it so as to fit the supporting collar. The roller is 
now mounted on the face plate (or a self-centreing jaw 
chuck may be used) and the opposite end is lubricated 
with tallow and runs in the collar (B). The work is 
revolved in the lathe, and, by the aid of a long spoon- 
nosed auger bit, a central hole may be bored down the 
entire length of the roller ; after which the work is 
mounted on its steel spindle and the outside is turned 
up to the desired pattern. A and F in Fig. 118 are the 
supports of the auger ; whilst B is the collar portion to 
support the work. In the example given the support 
and the collar portion are both tenoned and screwed into 
a base board which is common to both. E is the base- 
board. 

The object of illustrating this example is to give the 
idea of manipulating work such as rollers, fishing rods, 
etc. , when it is desired to bore the work whilst still in the 
lathe, and it will no doubt open up possibilities of other 
classes of work to the novice. 

Turning Moulds for Barred Doors. — Good work 
can also be obtained from a judicious use of the face 
plate in such cases as that shown at Fig. 120. A tracery 
or barred door consisting of circles (and parts of circles) 
is shown, and the astragal or bead moulding may be 
turned up on the face plate. 

Fig. 121 is another instance where lathe work may be 
utilised for inlaying quarter circle corners, the ring of 
satinwood being turned up to the required width and 
afterwards sawn into four pieces. Cabinet door frames, 
having quarter circle bolection mouldings, may be 
turned up in a similar manner. 



73 



IVood Turning 






WwK^mMi 








74 



TURNING A BALL 



^HE following method is one of the best for the 
turning up wooden balls where great accuracy is 
desired, and work may be guaranteed to within 
i-64th of an inch if care be taken during the turning 
process. The balls are first roughly turned, so 
as to leave a plug or stub at one end (Fig. 122). 
The plug portion (P) is then tightly driven into the 
hollow portion of the mandril spindle, as at Fig. 123, 
and the ball is turned up without the use of the tailstock 




122. FIRST OPERATION 

TURNING A BALL. 



FIG. I23. — PLUG DRIVEN 
INTO MANDRIL SPINDLE. 



as shown at Fig. 124. This view shows the approximate 
result obtained by the average worker ; and it would 
be quite correct enough for balls such as are used in the 
fair ground for cocoanut or Aunt-Sally shies. 

A Limit Gauge is now made out of a suitable piece of 
metal, this being somewhat similar in shape to Fig. 132. 
A ball tool is next made as at Fig. 128, the cutting end 
of the tool (A) being ground exactly to the radius of the 
finished ball. A cup chuck is now turned up out of a 
piece of box or beech wood, similar to the form shown 
at Fig. 129. A cup chuck of this type can be used for 
turning balls of varying sizes from 1 J ins. up to 3 J ins. in 

75 



Wood Turning 

diameter, and an advantage it possesses is that it is to a 
certain degree self-centreing. 

A Nose Piece is next made out of boxwood, and a 
sketch of this is shown at Fig. 127, reverse and obverse ; 
it fits snugly yet loosely over the tail centre, as at Fig. 126. 
Grease the inside of the nose piece so that it can revolve 
freely upon the tailstock (C) with the ball. No other 
tools or appliances will be needed save those usually 
found around the wood turner's lathe, with the exception 
of a H H grade lead pencil. 

It is advisable to first rough out the balls as near as 
possible to the correct diameter, paying less attention to 
the end portions, except to note that they are large 
enough to finish to the required diameter. If possible, 
finish a strip around the middle of the ball as wide as 
the end of the cup chuck, e, Fig. 126. 

The Ball Tool Cutter, Fig. 128, is made wide enough 
to cut a bearing for the cup chuck. For instance, if the 
width across the cup chuck is 1 in., the width of the 
ball tool should be about 1 in. ; it will then only be 
necessary to push the cutter against the ball when it is 
yet on the end of its plug as at Fig. 124, d. After this 
bearing, or path, for the cup chuck has been made, hold 
the point of the lead pencil against the ball whilst the 
lathe spindle is revolving, and a mark will be produced 
as at Fig. d, 124. This mark is the measure mark to 
which all future efforts in finishing the ball are to be 
directed. Next, turn away the plug piece and place the 
ball in the cup chuck as at Fig. 125, with the pencil line 
passing under the chuck so that the chuck bears entirely 
upon the strip of work which was finished by the concave 
ball tool, Fig. 128. When this can be done (and it is 
simply a matter of having a suitable cup chuck, or of 
reducing an old chuck to the correct size by turning it 
down) it simplifies the work and enables the operator to 

76 



Turning a Ball 




FIG. I24. 


FIG. I25. 


FIG. 126. 


BALL ROUGHLY 


SHOWING CUP 


SHOWING BALL BETWEEN 


TURNED. 


CHUCK. 


CUP CHUCK AND NOSE PIECE 




FIG. I27. — 
HOSE PIECE. 



FIG. 128. — 
BALL TOOL. 



FIG. 129.— 
CUP CHUCK. 




FIG. I30. 

FINISHED BALL. 



FIG. 131. ROUGHING DOWN TO MAKB 

THREE WOODEN BALLS. 



77 



Wood Turning 

finish the ball with but one or possibly two settings in the 
cup chuck. 

The ball is now self-centred between the cup chuck (a) 
and the revolving nose piece (b), Fig. 126. 

Finishing the Ball. — The ball is then ready for the 
finishing process, and with a gouge and the callipers at 
hand cut the shallow path e, Fig. 126, until the callipers 
indicate the required diameter. Once the channel e has 
been made, again put on the pencil mark, and use the 
ball tool shown at Fig. 128. This will finish a new belt 
or path around the ball, which is wide enough to engage 
with the cup chuck. 

The mark d, Fig. 124, was made while the blank was 
chucked on its plug ; and it will be noted that when the 
ball has been sized down at e it had previously been sized 
at d, and the mark d and the channel e just touch each 
other. If the ball be worked with the tool, Fig. 128, this 
will have to be applied very carefully, the lathe being 
stopped occasionally if necessary to see the line d, Fig. 126, 
along the entire length cut by the tool, which perhaps 
will be from F to G. 

If the work be done by the chisel or the gouge, it must 
be done in the same manner, viz., cut down just to the 
line d, not a bit further, or the ball will be spoiled. Thus 
having once callipered the ball at d (or, more properly, 
at e) and made a finished bearing place for the cup chuck, 
no further callipering will be necessary. The line d (or 
the one made at e) is what the geometrical expert would 
call a " great circle," and no matter at which angle that 
circle be turned, if we work the material down from ail 
sides exactly to that line, we will have a perfect ball 
remaining inside the circle in question. 

It appears as though there would be danger of getting 
the ball chucked out of the centre one way or the other, 
and then there would be a possibility of cutting too 
deeply at the points half way between the segments of 

78 



Turning a Ball 

circle d. There can, however, be no possibility of thus 
damaging the ball, owing to the fact that, no matter how 
much the ball may be chucked, the portion of the line d 
on the high side of the ball will be reached by the tool 
before material can be cut away down to the finish line 
or any other portion. 

The only possible exception to this is when a hole is 
deliberately dug into the ball at, say, G, Fig. 126, thus 
cutting a small circle which does not pass through any 
portion of the great circle d or e. This would, however, 
be avoided by using the callipers until the great circle 
has been established, then turning the blank in the chuck 
until a portion of the great circle is underneath the chuck 
which rests upon a finished surface. The pencil mark 
is a sure guide which may be relied on implicitly by the 
turner, without the least fear of cutting too deeply. Of 
course, there is a danger that he will cut below the pencil 
mark at any given point, and this can only be guarded 
against by closely watching the mark in question. 

Testing the Accuracy of a ball may be done as 
follows : — Take a piece of thin sheet brass about 15 






W//M. 


1=3= 


WE 


IB! 




1 


m 



FIG. I32. DOUBLE- 
ENDED LIMIT GAUGE. 



FIG. I33. — SECTION OF 
HOME-MADE CHUCK. 



gauge, and bore a circular hole through this material to 
the desired diameter of the ball. The ball is tested by 
passing it through this hole several times in various 

79 



Wood Turning 



positions. Billiard balls, and similar articles, may be 
tested in a similar manner. 

Turning Common Balls.— For turning up a wooden 
ball of the common type where great accuracy is not 
required, the following is a good method : Rough down 
a cylindrical piece large enough to make three balls as 
at Fig. 131. Use the callipers to test the balls first at a, 
then at b, then at c, and lastly at d. This will give an 
approximate ball near enough for ordinary purposes. 
Some workers prefer to use a small template of J-in. wood 




FIG. I34. TESTING WITH CALLIPERS AND TEMPLATE. 

as at E, Fig. 131. The inside edge of the template is 
made to the desired radius and rubbed with black lead, 
so that when the ball is tested with the template the high 
portions touch it and automatically become marked with 
lead. This testing is carried on from time to time, and 
the protruding portions of the ball removed. 

Other workers prefer to start the work as at Figs. 122 
and 123 ; after which they place the ball in a home- 
made chuck, a section of which is given at Fig. 133. The 
ball is taken out and re-chucked from time to time and 
tested with the template as shown. A sketch is given at 
Fig. 134 showing the combined use of the callipers and 
template before cutting the ball off its plug. 

80 



TURNING WOODEN RINGS, 
SQUARE TURNING, Etc. 

OODEN rings for palm stands, cornice poles, 
etc., are required from time to time for existing 
work, and some difficulty may be experienced in 
obtaining or matching this class of turning. 
The ability to turn such rings will enable one 
to be made to any size or pattern in any kind 
wood. 







FIG. I35. FIG. I36. FIG. 137. 

SHOWING METHOD OF TURNING CORNICE POLE AND OTHER WOOD 

FIG. I37 INDICATES THE USE OF A 



RINGS UPON A SCREW CHUCK. 



SADDLE. 



Cornice Pole Rings are best turned upon a screw 
chuck, and it is advisable to start the work by using a 
disc of wood a trifle thicker than the finished ring is 
required to be made. First turn the outside of the rim 
to the desired section, and at the same time turn down 
the disc to the required thickness as at Fig. 135. The 
disc is now turned on the front, thus forming one side 
of the ring, and cutting the disc to within one-sixteenth 
of an inch, or thereabouts, as indicated at Fig. 136. 

81 



Wood Turning 

The partly formed ring is cut off the disc by taking a cut 
from the back of the work as suggested by the arrow at 
Fig. 136. 

Use of Saddle. — The ring has now to be finished 
at that portion which was the back. To do this make 
a temporary wooden block or saddle to hold the work ; 
the shape of the saddle with the ring mounted on it is 
shown at Fig. 137. The ring fits tightly on to this 




FIG. 138. FIG. I39. FIG. I40. 

METHODS OF TURNING WOODEN RINGS OR RIMS. 



block (or saddle as it is called) and the friction will be 
sufficient to hold it in position whilst the turning is 
completed. The half circle wooden handles for box 
or heater irons as used in nearly every household are 
made by turning rings and then cutting them in half. 
By similar methods of working and by a judicious use 
of saddles many articles may be turned on the lathe, 
which at first sight appear to the inexperienced worker 
to be almost impossible of manipulation. 

82 



Turning Wooden Rings, Etc, 

At Fig. 138 is shown a grooved circular astragal 
moulding, such as is used when building up a barred or 
tracery door as shown at Fig. 120. Segments may be 
cut from this turned ring so that they will intersect with 
the straight portions of the moulds which form the 
tracery door ; and, by using portions of turned rings 
instead of hand-made free curves, the cost of production 
is considerably lessened. A piece of suitably straight 
grained wood may be secured to the wood face plate, 
by the central screw, as at Fig. 135, or it may be held on 
the face plate by using nails or screws as at Fig. 138. 
The circle is turned to the required diameter, after 
which the groove is turned into it as shown at Fig. 138. 
The central portion of the block is then turned away, 
as shown by the arrow mark, and the worker is left 
with a ring of the required width and thickness and 
having the necessary groove in it. 

The wood face plate is now turned down to provide 
a seating for the ring ; the ring is placed on this seating 
and held there by friction whilst the work is turned up 
to the required shape as shown at Fig. 139. The top 
rim or ring for palm stands, Fig. 140, and a hundred 
and one articles of a similar nature may be turned up 
by adaptations of the methods shown above. 

Square Turning. — Square turnings are made on a 
somewhat costly machine which consists of a sliding 
metal table actuated by a screw feed. The blocks of 
wood are fixed on to the table, one behind the other, and 
securely clamped down. The table top with its load of 
twelve to twenty legs, according to size, is then passed 
under a set of revolving cutters which give the required 
pattern on one face of the leg. The legs are loosened, 
and given a quarter turn so as to bring a new face of the 
work in contact with the cutters ; this is repeated four 
times in all to complete the work. 

In the modern machines the work is fed under the 

83 



JVood Turning 



M 



a< 




8 4 



Turning Wooden Rings, Etc. 



cutters, with the cut, instead of against the cut, as is the 
case with a planing machine. This does away with 
temporary packing to prevent the last edge which is 
being cut, from crumbling, or showing a faulty edge. 

Quasi-Square Turning was in great favour long 
before the introduction of wood working machinery, 






fig. 142. fig. 143. FIG. 144. 

EXAMPLES OF SQUARE TURNING PATTERNS. 

and a short paragraph showing how the old craftsmen 
tackled this problem will be interesting to those who wish 
to try their hand at this class of work. A built-up 
barrel or cylinder similar to that shown in Fig 141 was 
made and turned up between the lathe centres. The 
centre of the barrel has an iron rod running through it, 
and it is on this rod or axle that the centres of the lathe 
engage. The blocks of wood are planed up true and 
square and cut off to exactly fit in the cylinder as shown. 

85 



Wood Turning 



The cylinder is filled full with the prepared blocks, and 
these are held in position by steel straps which have 
bolts and wing nuts attached to them so as to pull up 
tightly in exactly the same manner as a chair maker's 
cramp. The old workers used a leather strap, or in 
many cases simply nailed each block down on to the 
cylinder. A strap is fixed at each end of the cylinder so 
as to hold the work tightly down and this accounts for 




i m 



JLL 



NAILS 



VEE NOTCHES 



FOR PENCIL 



FIG. I45. SETTING-OUT LATHS FOR REPETITION WORK. 

the square portion, A, at each end of the turning, which 
cannot be used. 

The work when mounted so as to fill the cylinder, is 
revolved between the lathe centres in the usual manner, 
and the work is turned up by the aid of the gouge and 
chisel to the desired pattern. The straps are now taken 
off and each leg or spindle is given a quarter turn on the 
cylinder so as to bring a new face of the work in contact 
with the tools. The straps are replaced and tightened 
up ; the work is revolved, and a second face is thus 

86 



Turning JVooden Rings, Etc. 

turned up to coincide with the one already worked. The 
operation is repeated four times; that is, of course, 
until all the faces of the work have been turned. 

Difficulties will be experienced when turning the last 
face of the work, as the remaining edge will have a 
tendency to chip or crumble owing to there not being 
sufficient wood to resist the pressure of the turning tools. 
There is no royal road to success with regard to this last 
edge, and there is no way of overcoming the difficulty, 
except the old-fashioned method of making shaped 
packing pieces to fit and fill the interstices. Owing to the 
cost and trouble in turning this class of work on the 
lathe it is not in general use, although when neatly 
executed with details of good proportion it is exceedingly 
effective. 

This turning was called by the old craftsmen " Therm- 
ing," and, of course, the larger the diameter of the 
cylinder on which the work was done the more effective 
was the so-called square turning. 

Three good examples of square turned spindles are 
given at Figs. 142, 143, 144. The members are choice 
and in good proportion. 

Setting-Out Laths are used by wood turners whose 
several spindles or other turned pieces have to be 
repeated, such as turning a quantity of chair legs or 
balusters to a given pattern. For common work it 
is usual to take a piece of wood about \ in. thick and 
drive into the edge of this lathe a number of small 
wire nails or panel pins, the pins being filed up to a 
point. This lath is used to mark out the work to its 
extreme length, and it also marks out the distances 
between each member of the turning. 

The rough wood is turned up cylindrically and the 
setting-out lath is held against it whilst the work is 
revolving. This causes the turning to be slightly scored 
or scratched by the protruding nail points ; and thus 

8 7 



Wood Turning 

the work is set out lengthways to exactly the same size 
as the previous turning. Other workers prefer to dis- 
pense with the nails, and they draw with a pencil the 
required lines on their setting out lath. The lath is 
then held against the rough turning, and whilst it is 
slowly revolving the worker marks the turning with his 




Fig. 146. 
carved capital. 



FIG. I47. 

BURNING A CAPITAL PREPARA- 
TORY TO CARVING. 



lead pencil exactly opposite his setting-out lath. Others, 
again, cut small notches into the edge of the setting-out 
lath, and hold the pencil point in each vee notch con- 
secutively until the whole length of the turning is 
marked. All the above methods are good and the worker 
should use that which answers his own requirements the 
best. These laths apply to setting out the length only, 
as, of course, the diameters are callipered in the usual 

88 



Turning Wooden Rings, Etc. 

way. Fig. 145 shows a turning pattern and the three 
types of setting-out laths. 

Other types of setting-out or gauging laths are used 
to judge the correct shapes of long or deep curves. 
These templates, as they should correctly be described, 




FIG. I48. SHOWING USB OF SHAPED TEMPLATES FOR SHAPED 
TURNINGS. 



are made of thin wood such as three-ply or sawn veneer, 
and the application of them can be clearly shown in the 
two examples given at Figs. 148. 

Turning for Capitals.— At Fig. 146 is shown a 
turned carved capital supporting a shelf or cornice 
moulding ; much can be done by the wood turner so 

89 



Wood Turning 

as to ease the laborious work of the wood carver by 
turning the capital as indicated at Fig. 147. The greater 
circle which touches the highest points of the volute 
is turned, and this gives a guide to the carver when 
cutting out his work. 



90 



FINISHING TURNINGS 



STAINING AND POLISHING 

FTER completion of the tool operations, the work 
is generally finished by using successive grades of 
glass-paper. The glass-papering is commenced by 
using fine 2 grade and finished by No. ij. The 
glass-paper is generally folded and applied to the 
'sketch as shown at Fig. 149. The glass-paper 
is moved longitudinally so as not to leave ridges on the 
work. In such cases, as where vee cuts and small fillets 
are to be operated upon, the glass-paper is folded so as 
to bring the sharp edge into contact with the internal 
portions of the turnings. 

After the glass-papering is completed, it is usual to 
give a frictional polish to the work by using a handful 
of fine shavings which have been turned off the actual 
work (see Fig. 150). It is advisable to use turnings 
which have been turned off the work, thus ensuring the 
same hardness of wood ; as, if oak turnings were used 
to give a frictional polish to a soft wood like pine, the 
result would be a series of ridges and scratches on the 
surface of the work. 

To Change the Colour of turned work, staining is 
resorted to ; and, if mahogany is being treated to 
match the cabinet work, it will be necessary to slightly 
weaken the stain before it is applied to the turnings. 
After staining, the work should be allowed sufficient 
time to dry thoroughly. It may then be again put in 
the lathe (provided the turning centres have not been 
cut off) and the raised grain carefully papered down 
with No. 1 or No. i\ glass-paper. The stain may be 
applied to the work with a brush, as at Fig. 151, whilst 
slowly revolving the lathe. 

After the stain has been papered down, the work 

91 



IVood Turning 




Finishing Turnings 




Wood Turning 







■C3^ 


APPLYING STAIN WITH A BRUSH. 

shown, whilst the lathe is slowly revolved. 


\ftff 


l§i 




en 

1. rt 




«src3J 




1 -< T3 


v 5 ^ 








% »"jg 






8 6 .22 

1 S ,£ 

U 








A * 




il 




Sag 
Bis 




Q/i 39 




% 








%' 



94 



Finishing Turnings 




Wood Turning 

should be examined, and if of a very wild or open grain, 
such as many species of African baywood or American 
oak, it may be advisable to fill in the work with a suitably 
coloured wood filler. The turning will in any case be 
wiped over with raw linseed oil, which may be applied 
with an oily rag whilst the work is slowly revolving. 

French Polish is suitable for applying to hard- 
woods such as walnut and close grained mahoganies, 
or such woods as satin walnut. After the work is oiled 
(and this should not be done too freely) the polish is 
used on a soft pad of cotton wadding covered with an 
open woven piece of rag, to which a spot of Unseed oil 
is applied, so as to prevent it sticking to the work. 
Fig. 152 shows the method of holding the rubber. This 
rubber must be soft, fairly large, and charged with 
fairly thin polish. The work must be rotated slowly 
at first, until the polish begins to shine, and after a fair 
body of polish has been applied the speed may be 
slightly increased. 

It is advisable to give the polish time to harden 
after a fairly good surface has been obtained ; let it 
stand overnight if possible. Examine the work before 
bodying up the second time to see if any dust specks 
are present. If such are observed, carefully glass-paper 
the work with No. o grade, and proceed to again body 
up the work. To finish, give a light quick rub with a 
rubber charged with methylated spirit ; this takes out 
all the oil and gives a clear and brilliant surface. 

Many workers finish by using a pad made of nice 
soft rag, on which a little methylated spirit has been 
sprinkled ; and this is probably the safest way for an 
amateur who has had little experience of this class of 
work. 

Oak is generally polished dull by applying a solution 
of beeswax and turpentine. The wax compound is 

96 



Finishing Turnings 

well rubbed into the work, and as much friction as 
possible is applied with a linen or cotton rag — or, better 
still, a stiff brush, revolving the lathe first one way and 
then the other, and brushing the wax out of all the 
quirks and sunk fillets, etc. Much labour can be saved 
by bodying in all the turned work before framing the 
carcase portion of the work together, especially where 
a number of turned spindles, or chair or table legs have 
to be operated upon. 



97 



Wood Turning 




ORNAMENTAL FIRE SCREEN WITH TURNED 
PILLARS AND RAILS, 



98 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS 



TOBACCO PIPES— BUILDING SIDEBOARD AND OTHER 
PILLARS — ANIMALS FOR NOAH'S ARKS — GROUPING OF 
MEMBERS — TABLE OF SPEEDS — THE STORY OF THE 
LATHE. 

f i ^HE turning of tobacco pipes is a very simple 
matter for those who have had some little experi- 
ence on the lathe. A beech chuck is made and 
tapped at one end, so as to screw on to the mandril 
end (Fig 153), and the opposite end of the chuck 
is slotted so as to take the pipe blank (A). The 




FIG. I33. — HOW TO TURN TOBACCO PIPES. 



blank is gripped by compressing the jaws of the chuck by 
tightening up the screw S, the bowl of the pipes is bored 

99 



Wood Turning 

out with a spoon-nosed augur, and the outside of the 
bowl turned up. 

The pipe is then released from the chuck and re- 
centred so as to allow of the turning up of the pipe stem. 
When the turning operations are completed the pipe will 
present the appearance shown at B, and is now ready for 
finishing by sawing away the superfluous wood and filing 
and glass-papering the lower part of the bowl to the 
necessary curvature. 

Building Sideboard Pillars. — The majority of side- 




FIG. 154. SIDEBOARD PILLARS. 



board pillars used in present-day furniture have a large 
swell, and owing to economical conditions are frequently 
built up as illustrated at Fig. 154, that is, instead of 
wasting timber by reducing, the squares at the top and 
bottom of the turning, the swell, or bulb portion, is 



100 



Miscellaneous Hints 

inserted as shown. The upper and lower portions of 
the turning have pins formed upon them and a double 
pointed dowel screw is inserted as shown. 

The bulbous portion is first bored so as to accommo- 
date the turned pins, and it is then put on an arbor and 
turned up in the usual way. The parts of the pillar are 
then glued and screwed together, the swell concealing 
the joint. It is usual to carve up the bulb portion with 
reeds, as shown in the sketch. 




FIG. 155- — NOAHS ARK ANIMALS. 

Animals for Noah's Arks. — Many of the continental 
makers of toys, especially those engaged in the manufac- 
ture of Noah's arks and similar work, make good use of 
the lathe. An instance is given at Fig. 155 of the 
method of roughing out the formation of an animal on 
the face plate of the lathe. The blocks are cut to a 
suitable size and glued up so as to form a ring ; this is 
mounted on the lathe and turned up to the approximate 
contour of the animal desired. The timber is then taken 
off the face plate and again fixed so that the other side 
may be worked upon. 

Sections are now cut radially, and in this manner the 
general contour of the animal is obtained. They are 

101 



PVood Turning 

afterwards brought up to a finish by hand labour. Many 
animals are thus obtained out of one ring of wood, and a 
close inspection will show that nearly all toy animals are 
narrower in width at the fore legs than at the hind- 
quarters. 

Grouping of Members for Turning Patterns. — 

The Romans and Etruscans are often shown sitting or 
reclining on chairs or couches made of willow, viz., 
basket work, and a piece of sculpture in Treves Museum 
shows a soundly constructed wicker chair, the front legs 
of which are bound round with osiers. 




fig. 156. fig. 157. 

EVOLUTION OF CHAIR TURNINGS. 



It is probable that this binding of the legs, so as to 
strengthen them suggested the contour of the turned 
beads which are so familiar on chair legs, as at Figs. 156 
and 157. 

Turning patterns are made up of concave, convex, or 
serpentine lines, combined with fillets and vee cuts. 
These members are classified, and every wood turner 
should be familiar with their names. Fig. 158 illustrates 

102 



Miscellaneous Hints 

the members generally used by the turner. Take, for 
example, Fig. 159. Commence at the top and analyse it. 
First we have the square ; next the ogee, and the fillet : 
then we come to the serpentine swell and we find upon 
examination that even this shape is a combination of the 




FIG. I58. — MEMBERS GENERALLY USED BY WOOD TURNERS. 



hoUow and round (or, to give them their correct names 
the scotia and bead). Small bead, fillet and scotia again 
follow ; after which we have a swell, which with its 
fillets might be classed as a large ovolo moulding. The 
ogee, fillet and major portion of the shaft follow on, and 
we arrive at the small astragal mould which breaks the 
upper and lower portion of the shaft. The shaft is 

103 



Wood Turning 



FIG. 159. — 

EXAMPLE OP 
TURNED SHAFT. 



finished by a fillet and then we 
have the crushed ball form which 
is ornamented by a sunk bead. In 
turning patterns the general effect 
consists of a good grouping of the 
various members and a correct pro- 
portion of the lines which are used. 

Table of Speeds for Power 
Lathes. — In all cases where pow r 
lathes are being installed for special 
purposes the following table of speeds 
should be consulted : — 



DIAMETER 


REVOLUTIONS 


OF WOOD 


OF WORK 


TO BE TURNED. 


PER MINUTE. 




Approximately 


I in. 


. . 3,000 


2 ins. 


. 


2,500 


3 ins. . . 


. 


1,500 


5 ins. . . 


. 


1,000 


8 ins. .. 


. 


650 


12 ins. 


. 


570 


18 ins. 




300 


24 ins. 


. 


250 



After consulting the above table 
the advantage of driving lathes by 
variable speed motors is obvious. 



The Story of the Lathe.— The 

lathe is probably one of the oldes*: 

types of woodworking machines, and 

there is little doubt that it was an 

adaptation of the potter's whee". 

Theodor, of Samos, is mentioned 

by Pliny as the probable nventor (740 B.C.), and we read 

in Scripture that the ancient Hebrews were skilled in the 

use of the lathe. In India at the present day some of the 

104 



Miscellaneous Hints 

native workmen use a very primitive form of lathe as 
shown. It consists of two fixed centres, upon which the 
work revolves, and a cord running two or three times 
around the actual work, so as to obtain a backward and 
f 01 ward rotation. One workman uses the tools, whilst 
another actuates the cord similar to a jeweller's bow 
or fiddle drill. The operator brings his tool up to the 
work during the forward rotation and removes it 
during the backward rotation. The upright supports 
are generally driven to earth and the turner works in 
a sitting position. 




FIG. l6o. — NATIVE INDIAN LATHE. 

In this country the earliest form was undoubtedly the 
pole lathe, and as recently as the year 1910 pole lathes 
were occasionally to be seen in every-day use amongst the 
chair makers of Buckinghamshire. Rapid strides have 
been made in lathe production during the last fifty years, 
and we can now obtain automatic and semi-automatic 
lathes and back knife lathes, which will produce the same 
pattern of turned articles (clothes pegs, brush handles 
and chair legs) by the gross. Oval turning lathes for 
hammer shafts, bradawls, screw-drivers are in daily use 
throughout the country, and many forms of copying 
lathes are on sale which will turn golf stick heads, cricket 
bats, and even the legs for a rocking horse. Such 

105 



Wood Turning 



machines as these are necessarily costly, and are only 
used in wholesale factories. The amateur, however, can 
obtain an attachment to fix on the foot lathe for turning 
oval handles, etc., called an oval chuck. This was in- 
vented by William Murdock, who was an assistant of the 
celebrated engineer, James Watt. 



K>6 



PATTERNS FOR TURNINGS 

DINING-TABLE LEGS — OTHER TABLE LEGS (SEVERAL WITH 
FULL-SIZED DETAILS) — COLUMNS — SPINDLES — 
CHAIR LEGS — NEWEL POSTS — HOUSEHOLD TURNERY 
— CHESSMEN 

PATTERNS OF TABLE LEGS. 

ff^HE height of a standard dining-table from the 
floor to the top is 2 ft. 5 ins. This includes the 
castor and the lining-up moulding which is generally 
placed under the top to strengthen and clamp it. 
The wood turner generally prepares his legs about 
2 ft. 4 ins. in height, so as to allow for squaring up 
the top of the leg. Where castors and castor rims are 
used the legs are turned to fit the rim, because different 
makers of castors and rims slightly vary their sizes. 
The turner should also prepare his work so as to leave 
sufficient material at the top of the turning to allow the 
cabinetmaker to mortise in his table framing. No hard- 
and-fast rule can be given for table framing. Some 
workers use a wide rail and cut or shape the centre 
portion away to allow clearance for the knees of a person 
when seated at the table. Other workers use a rail 
4 ins. in width as a standard. 

Following are given approximate scale drawings of 
twenty examples of table legs. With the aid of a scale, 
a full-sized setting out can easily be made. A brief 
description of these table legs is added : 

No. 1. — Standard turned dining-table leg, 4 ins. 
square. 

No. 2. — The shaft is reeded and upper portion carved. 
No. 3. — Plain turned dining-table oak, mahogany or 
walnut leg. 

No. 4. — Turned and reeded shaft. 
107 



Wood Turning 

No. 5. — Turned with reduced squares, Elizabethan 
type. 

No. 6. — Turned 6 ins. square. 

No. 7. — Leg with reduced squares. Elizabethan type. 

No. 8. — Ditto. Legs 7 and 8 are shown purely for 
wood turner. Decoration on the bulb or acorn portions 
come under the heading of carving. 

No. 9. — Modern billiard table leg, 6 ins. square, and 
left for a 9-in. table framing. 

No. 10. — Leg made in two portions to accommodate 
under framing. Queen Anne type. 

No. 11. — Turned as shown, or may be decorated by 
fluting the shaft. 

No. 12. — Modern 4-in. dining-table leg (with full- sized 
details). 

No. 13. — Washstand leg without castor, 2 ins. square 
(with full-sized details). 

No. 14. — Washstand leg with castor if desired (with 
full-sized details). 

No. 15. — Washstand leg with castor if desired. 
Twisted turning (with full-sized details). 

No. 16. — Washstand leg (with full-sized details). 

The usual height of washstand to table top is 2 ft. 6 ins. 

No. 17. — Occasional table or other small table legs, 
2-in. squares. 

No. 18. — Occasional table or other small table legs, 
2-in. squares. 

No. 19. — Occasional table or other small table legs, 
2-in. squares. 

No. 20. — Occasional table or other small table legs, 
2-in. squares. 

Occasional tables vary in height from 2 ft. 2 ins. to 
2 ft. 6 ins., according to style. 

All portions of the legs lettered x on the drawings are 
left square. 



108 



Patterns for Turnings 



en 

i. 
o 






MOS. I, *, 3.— FATT»MI» OF TURHBD DIWWG-TABLB LBOt. 



109 



Wood Turning 






NOS. 4, 5, 6. — PATTERNS OF TURNED DINING-TABLE LEGS. 

(No. 5 has a turned shaft with reduced squares.) 



zxo 



Patterns for Turnings 



u 

X 




NOS. 7, 8. — ELIZABETHAN PATTERN &ABLB LEGS, 
III 



IVood Turning 




WJMMM - 




JIO. 9. — PATTERN OF BILLIARD TABLE LEG, WITH SCALE. 

Legs of large diameter generally have a f-in. hole bored length- 
ways through them to facilitate drying and prevent chocking 
of the timber. The holes are afterwards plugged up. 

112 



Patterns for Turnings 




[under FRAME. 1 1 




NOS. IO, II. — PATTERNS OF TABLE LEGS, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMO- 
DATE UNDERFRAMING. 

Note. — Dotted line of turned pin to make the joint. 



"3 



Wood Turning 





) 




1 


Q 


1 


1 





C'ASTOR* 



NO. 12. FOUR-INCH DINING-TABLE LEG (MODERN) WITH FULL- 
SIZED DETAILS, 

Alternative finish to castor ring is given in full-sized detail. 
II 4 



Patterns for Turnings 




NO. 13. WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. 



US 



1 



IVood Turning 



SQUARE 1 




MO. 14.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. 



Il6 



Patterns for Turnings 



SQUARE 




V0 . 15.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. 



117 



Wood Turning 



16 





NO. l6.— WASHSTAND LEG, WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. 



118 



Patterns for Turnings 






NOS. 17, l8, 19, 20. — TURNED LEGS FOR OCCASIONAL TABLES. 



119 



IVood Turning 

Miscellaneous Patterns for Turning. — The follow- 
ing plates illustrate hall stand, columns, spindle^, 
ornaments, sideboard and overmantel columns, chair 
legs, chessmen and examples of household turnery. 

No. 21. — Column for shop shelves, ij ins. to 2 ins. 
square (with full-sized details). 

No. 22 — Turned post for hall stand, height about 
2 ft. 8 ins. (with full-sized details). 

No. 23. — Turned post for hall stand, height about 
2 ft. 8 ins. (with full-sized details). 

No. 24. — Spindle design for light trap, etc. , up to 10 ins. 
long. 

No. 25. — Spindle design for garden gate up to 8 ins. 
long. 

Nos. 26, 27, 28. Chair or couch spindles ; also suitable 
for galleries around overmantels or sideboards. 

Nos. 29, 33, 34. — Ornaments for general work, such as 
tops of chairs, cabinets, fire screens. 

Nos. 30, 31, 32. — Furniture buttons for hiding the 
heads of screws used for constructional purposes. 

No. 35. — Method of applying same to the work. 

Nos. 36 37, 38, 39. — Ornamental turning. After 
turning ropes of the desired pattern they are cut in half 
lengthways so as to be glued on to the work. Occa- 
sionally they are sawn lengthways into four pieces, so as 
to enable them to be glued into a rebate. No. 38 is 
pearl beading. 

No. 40. — Two finialsfor a barge board at the apex of 
the roof of a house. Also suitable for a flagstaff. 

Other exrmples of turnings are given on pp. 127 and 
128 (sideboard columns), 129 (chair legs), 130 (ti ble 
leg, lull sized details), 131 (newel posts), 132 (house- 
hold turnery), and 134 (chessmen) 

120 



Patterns for Turnings 



A VJOP 




NO. 21. — COLUMN FOR SHOP SHELVES, \\ INS. TO 2 INS. SQUARE, 
WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. 



121 



Wood Turning 




»o. .a.-*™ W^«££?W»m. 



HEIGHT ABOUT 2 FT. 8 iNSi 



122 



Patterns for Turnings 







MO. 23. — TURNED POST OP HALL STAND. HEIGHT ABOUT 2 FT. 8 INS. 
WITH FULL-SIZED DETAILS. (DETAILS OF FOOT NOT SHOWN.) 



123 



JVood Turning 




124 



Patterns for Turnings 




FURNITURE 
BUTTONS. 



TERMINAL 
ORNAMENTS. 



FIXING A 
tURMED BUTTON. 



36 




37 



58 
59 

EXAMPLES OF ORNAMENTAL TURNING. 

These are used round, half-round, and quarter-round. 



t*5 



tVood Turning 




FINIALS FOR BARGEBOARD, A TERMINAL FOR FLAGSTAFF. 



126 



Patterns for Turnings 




EXAMPLES OF SIDEBOARD COLUMNS. 

Heights to suit sideboard backs. General height, 
2 ft. 2 ins. to 2 ft. 3 ins. 



127 



Wood Turning 




BXAMPLES OF SIDEBOARD OR OVERMANTEL COLUMNS. 

Heights to suit requirements. General height, 
2 ft. 2 ins. 



128 



Patterns for Turnings 




EXAMPLES OF TURNED CHAIR LEGS. 

General height to top of frame for upholstered seats, 17 ins. 



129 



Wood Turning 



dBftt M 5C i uare: 1 




FOO 



) 



) 



FULL-SIZE DETAILS OF A WASHSTAND OR OCCASIONAL 
TABLE LEG. 

Length of taming, 14 ins. long. Lower square portion, 2 ins. high. 

I30 



Patterns for Turnings 




EXAMPLES OF TURNED NEWEL POSTS. 

General Dimensions, 4 ins. to 6 ins. diameter. 



131 



JVood Turning 




6t'x &"<£•-' 



CMJ 



B 



12 *1* 
IT *& 





EXAMPLES OF HOUSEHOLD TURNERY. 



*3« 



Patterns for Turnings 

Household Turnery. — A few examples of useful 
household turnery are given opposite. The general sizes 
are marked, and modifications to suit existing require- 
ments may be made by the worker. 

A. — Vegetable presser, or butter worker. A suitable 
wood is sycamore, maple, holly, box, beech, or birch. 

B. — Dumbells, made of birch ; the ends bored and 
weighted with lead according to requirements. 

C. — Rolling pin, alternative sizes being given on sketch. 
A suitable wood is sycamore, maple, birch, or box. 

D. — Reel for builder's chalk line ; size to own require- 
ments. Use boxwood, sycamore, or other hard and close- 
grained wood. 

E. — Potato masher : two sizes given on sketch. Made 
of maple, sycamore, or birch. 

F. — Chairman's or auctioneer's mallet. Length of 
handle, 7 ins. Suitable wood is ebony or English walnut. 

G. — Halter block for stable use, 3 ins. to 4 ins. dia- 
meter, and about 4 ins. to 5 ins. long ; oak or beech. 

H. — Soda water bottle opener ; boxwood. 

I. — Indian club (adult's size) ; birch wood. 

J. — Pork pie block, for assisting to raise the pastry ; 
birch, beech, or sycamore. 

K. — Plain serviette ring ; boxwood. 

L. — Bread platter, sunk pattern ; sycamore or maple. 

M. — Moulded serviette ring ; box or other fancy hard 
wood, such as olive wood. 



<33 




Wood Turning 



FAWN. 



^^V7 




1 T 




KING. QUEEN. BISHOP. 

SET OF CHESSMEN, FULL SIZE. 

Suitable woods are boxwood and ebony. The bottom 
of each piece is turned slightly concave, so that it will 
stand secure. The lower portion of the knight is turned 
with a small pin on it so as to engage with a hole which 
is bored into the horse's head. The upper portion forming 
the head is hand-carved. 



\>A 




BBD OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI, WITH TURNED POSTS 
AND FEET. 



(From *' Tk* Woodwork*," 19 19 Volumt.) 



135 




GATE-LEG TABLE CROMWELLIAN TYPE. VIEW WITH 

FLAP DOWN. 



(From " The Woodworker," 1919 Volume.) 



137 





SEVENTEENTH CENTURY CHAIR WITH TURNED LEGS AND BACK 
UPRIGHTS. DETAILS OF TURNING SHOWN. 



(From " The Woodworher," 1919 Volume.) 



140 




SEVENTEENTH CENTURY OAK CHEST 
WITH TURNED LEGS. 



(From "The Woodworker," 1919 Volume.) 



141 




144 



INDEX 



Acorn turnings (see Elizabe- 
than, Jacobean and Queen 
Anne turnings,) 45 

Animals, Noah's ark, turning, 
101 

Anne (Queen), cabriole legs, 
turning, 54 

Anne (Queen) pattern legs, 
scale drawings of, 113 

Arbor, making a wood, 42 

Arbor, use of the, 40 

Astragal beading for bookcase 
doors, turning, 72, 73 

Astragal member, the, 103 

Auger, deep-boring a roller 
with spoon, 71, 72 

Back stay, the, 31, 32 

Ball, finishing a, after turning, 

78 
Ball, testing accuracy of, after 

turning, 79 
Ball tool cutter, the, 76 
Balls, how to turn, 75 
Balls, turning common, 80 
Balusters, examples of, 45 
Bar, the treadle, 3 
Barred doors, turning moulds 

for, 73, 83 
Bead member, the, 103 
Bead, rounding off a, 17 
Bead, the sunk, 103 
Beaded moulding, turning a, 38 
Beading (astragal ) for bookcase 

doors, turning, 72, 73 
Beading, pearl, 125 
Bed, gap, 70 
Bed posts, turned, 135 
Bed, the lathe, 3 
Beeswax and turpentine for 

polishing oak, 96 
Bench for circular sawing, 34 
Bobbin, turned electrical, 42, 43 
Bolection mouldings, turning, 

73 



Boring adjustment, 34 

Boring (deep) a roller with 
spoon auger, 71, 72 

Bottle (soda water) opener, 132 

Bread platter, 132 

Bulbous turnings (see also 
Elizabethan, Jacobean and 
Queen Anne turnings), 45 

Butter worker, 132 

Buttons, patterns for furni- 
ture, 125 



Cabriole legs, turning, 54 
Callipers, egg, and in-and-out, 

18 
Callipers, testing with, 20 
Cannon, method of turning a 

toy, 41 
Capitals, turning for, 88, 89 
Casting (or leg) , the lathe, 3 
Catherine de Medici, bed of, 

135 
Centre pin for crankshaft, 3 
Centre, the dead, 3 
Centre, the live, 3 
Centres, fastening wood be- 
tween, 9 
Chain, the driving, 3 
Chain wheel, the, 3 
Chair, Cromwellian, 143 
Chair, French (Francis I.), 142 
Chair, French (Henry II.), 142 
Chair (John Knox's), 143 
Chair leg, how to turn upper 

part of back, 62, 63 
Chair legs, patterns for, 129 
Chair legs, turning clubbed foot 

and cabriole, 53, 54 
Chair (seventeenth century), 

140 
Chair, Stuart, 144 
Chair turnings, evolution of, 

102 
Chessmen, patterns for, 134 



J45 



In J ex 



Chest, seventeenth century 

oak, 141 
Chisel, grinding a, 26, 27 
Chisel, illustration of, 22 
Chisel, preliminary work with 

the, 11 
Chisel, the, how to use, for 

finishing work, 11, 13 
Chisels, sharpening, 27 
Chuck, cup, for turning balls, 

75 
Chuck for turning discs, 60, 62 
Chuck, home-made, for turning 

balls, 79, 80 
Chucking the wood, 7, 8 
Chucks, screw, 58 
Chucks, split, 55 
Circles, turning quarter, 72, 73 
Circular saw spindle, 32, 33 
Circular saws, 33 
Clamp to tee rest holder, 3 
Club foot and cabriole legs, 

turning, 53, 54 
Collars, temporary supporting, 

72 
Columns, building sideboard, 

100 
Columns, patterns for turned, 

121, 127, 128 
Concave and convex oilslip, 29 
Cone pulley, the, 3 
Cornice pole rings, turning, 81 
Crankshaft, the, 3 
Cromwellian chair, 143 
Cup chuck for turning balls, 

75 
Cup, the (or dead centre), 3 
Cutter, the ball tool, 76 



Dead centre, the, 3 
Deep-boring a roller with spoon 

auger, 71, 72 
Designs (see Patterns). 
Details (full-sized) of turning 

patterns, 1 1 4 — 118, 1 2? 1 — 

123, 130, 134 
Dining-table legs, patterns for, 

109, no, in, 113, 114 



Discs, chuck for turning, 60, 62 
Discs, method of turning, 6>. 
Doors, turning moulds for 

barred, 73, 83 
Dresser, Tudor, 139 
Drilling adjustment, 34, 35 
Driving chain, the, 3 
Driving spur, 39 
Driving wheel (slow speed) for 

metal turning, 3 
Driving wheel, the, 3 
Dumb-bells, 132 
Dutch dining-table, 139 



Egg callipers, 18 

Electrical bobbin, a turned, 42, 

43 

Elizabethan dresser, 139 

Elizabethan pattern legs, scale 
drawings of, in 

Elizabethan table legs, ex- 
amples, 12, 66, in 

Elizabethan turnings, 12, 43, 
45, 66, 74, in, 139 

Elizabethan turnings, examples 
of miscellaneous, 12, 43, 7^ 

Exercises, examples of, 21, 23 

Extension piece to lathe bed, 
3» 4 



Face plates, 60 
Featheredge, oilslip with, 28 
Fillet, the, 103 
Finials, patterns for, 126 
Finishing turnings (staining 

and polishing), 91 
Finishing with glass-paper, 23 
Fire screen with turned parts, 

98 
Flemish table, 144 
Flutes, 103 
French polishing, 36 



Gt. p bed lathe, 70 
Gate-leg table, 136, 137 
Gate pillars, examples of, 45 



X46 



Index 



Gauge, grinding a, 25 

Gauge, handled wood turner's, 

19 
Gauge, home-made wooden, 

19 
Gauge, illustration of, 22 
Gauge, preliminary work with 

the, 10 
Gauge, the limit, 75, 79 
Gauge, using the wood, 20 
Gauging, 7 
Gauging (or setting-out) laths 

for shaped turnings, 87 
Glass-papering, 23, 91 
Gouges, sharpening, 28 
Grinding, or sharpening tools, 

25 
Grindstone, the, 25 



Hall stand posts, patterns for, 

122, 123 
Halter block, 132 
Hammer, chairman's or auc- 
tioneer's, 132 
Hand wheel for tailstock, 3 
Handle, turned vice, 42, 43 
Handle, turning a, 21 
Handles, finishing tool, 17 
Headstock, packing a, 72 
Headstock reversed for large 

work, lathe with, 71 
Headstock, the, 3 
Hollow, stages on turning a, 14, 

15 

Hollowing a vase, 67 
Household turnery, patterns 
for, 132 



In-and-out callipers, 18 
India medium cilslip, 25, 28 
Indian club, 132 



Jacobean chair, 144 
Jacobean split turnings, 36 
Jacobean turnings, 45, 115 
118, 144 



Jig, a saddle, for shaped chair 
legs, 63 



Lathe bed, the, 3 

Lathe, buying a, 4 

Lathe, description of standard, 

Lathe, gap bed, 70 
Lathe/ names of parts of, 3 
Lathe, native Indian, 105 
Lathe, the story of the, 104 
Lathes, automatic, etc., 105 
Lathes, table of speeds for 

power, 104 
Laths, setting out (or gauging), 

87 
Leg casting of lathe, the, 3 
Leg, how to turn upper part of 

back chair, 62, 63 
Legs, examples of Tudor table, 

12, 66, in 
Legs, pattern for chair, 129 
Legs, patterns for dining-table, 

109, no, in, 113, 114 
Legs, patterns for occasional 

table, 119, 130 
Legs, patterns for washstand 

or dressing-table, 115 — 118, 

130 
Legs, turning clubbed foot and 

cabriole, 53, 54 
Limit gauge, the, 75, 79 
Live centre, or prong, the, 3 
Live spindle, the, 3 
Lock nuts, 3 



Mallet, chairman's or auc- 
tioneer's, 132 

Mandril spindle, 75 

Medici (Catherine de), bed of, 
135 

Members for turning patterns, 
grouping of, 102 

Metal turning, slow speed driv- 
ing wheel for, 3 

Mitre trap for reduced squares, 
44 



*47 



Index 



Mouldings, patterns for turned, 

125 
Mouldings, turned, 36, 38, 125 
Moulds for barred doors, turn- 
ing, 73, 83 



Neat's foot oil, 30 

Newel posts, patterns for, 131 

Noah's ark animals, turning, 

101 
Nose piece for turning balls, 

75 
Nuts, lock, 3 



Oak, polishing, 96 

Ogee member, the, 103 

Oil, neat's foot, 30 

Oilslips, 25, 28 

Oilstone, the, 25, 28 

Overmantel columns, patterns 

for, 128 
Ovolo member, the, 103 



Packing a headstock for large 

work, 72 
Parting tool, illustration of, 22 
Patera, turning, 62, 63 
Patterns for turnings (many 

with full - sized details), 

107-134 
Pearl beading, 125 
Pilaster decorated with split 

turning, 37 
Pillars, building sideboard, 100 
Pillars, examples of turned, 45 
Pillars (or columns), patterns 

for, 121, 127, 128 
Pin, centre, for crankshaft, 3 
Pin, rolling, 132 
Pin, thrust, 3 
Pipes, turning tobacco, 99 
Pitch, the, in spiral turning, 47 
Planing reduced squares, 44 
Plates, face, 60 
Platter, bread, 132 
Polishing, french, 96 



Polishing, frictional, with fine 

shavings, 93 
Polishing in the lathe with 

rubber, 95 
Polishing, wax, 96 
Pork pie block, 132 
Posts for hall stands, patterns 

for, 122, 123 
Posts, patterns for newel, 131 
Potato masher, 132 
Power lathes, table of speeds 

for, 104 
Presser, vegetable, 132 
Prong, or live centre, the, 3 
Pulley, the cone, 3 



QuASi-square turning, 85 
Queen Anne cabriole legs, 

turning, 54 
Queen Anne pattern legs, scale 

drawings of, 113 



Railing pillars, examples of, 

45 
Reeding, 103 
Reel for builder's chalk line, 

132 
Rest, adjusting the tee, 9 
Rest, the back, 31 
Rest, the tee, 3 
Rims and rings, turning, 81, 82 
Rings, serviette, 132 
Rings, turning cornice pole and 

other, 81 
Roller, deep-boring a, with 

spoon auger, 71, 72 
Rolling pin, 132 
Roughing down, 10 
Round (or torus), the, 103 
Rounding off, 15 
Rounding off a bead, 17 
Rounding tools, 65 



Saddle for turning rings, 82 
Saddle, or jig, for shaped chair 
legs, 63 



I48 



Index 



Saw spindle, circular, 32, 33 
Sawing bench for circular saw, 

34 

Saws, circular, 33 
Scotia moulding, the, 103 
Scraping tool, illustration of, 22 
Screen, fire, with turned parts, 

98 
Screw chucks, 58 
Serviette rings, 132 
Setting-out (or gauging) laths, 

87 
Shaped chair legs, turning, 63 
Shaped turnings, setting-out 

laths or templates for, 87 
Sharpening tools, 25, 27 
Shelf, the tool and calliper, 3 
Sideboard columns, patterns 

for, 127, 128 
Sideboard pillars, building, 100 
Sinking, or stepping, 16 
Slips, oil, 25, 28 
Soda water bottle opener, 132 
Speeds for power lathes, table 

of, 104 
Spindle, circular saw, 32, 33 
Spindle lubricator, the, 3 
Spindle, mandril, 75 
Spindle, tailstock, 3 
Spindle, the live, 3 
Spindles, patterns for, 124 
Spindles, use of back stay for 

supporting slender, 32 
Spiral turning, 47 
Spiral turnings, examples of, 

52, 117 
Split chucks, 55 
Split turnings, 36 
Spoon auger, deep boring a 

roller with, 71, 72 
Spur, driving, 39 
Spur, the, 3 
Square timber, face plate to 

take, 61 
Square turning, 83 
Squares, reduced, 44 
Squaring down, 16 
Staining turnings, 91 
Stay, the back, 31, 32 



Stepping, or sinking, 16 
Stuart chair, 144 
Supporting collars, temporary, 
72 



Table, dressing, or washstand 
lees, patterns for, 115 — 118, 

130 

Ta^c, Dutch dining-, 139 

Table, Flemish, 144 

Table, gate-leg, 136, 137 

Table legs, examples of Tudor, 
12, 66, in 

Table legs, patterns for dining-, 
109, no, in, 113, 114 

Table legs, patterns for occa- 
sional, 119, 130 

Table of speeds for power 
lathes, 104 

Table with turned legs (seven- 
teenth century), 138 

Tailstock, etc., 3 

Tapered oilslips, 28 

Tee rest, adjusting tne, 

Tee rest, the, 3 

Template for turning balls, 80 

Templates (or setting-out laths) , 
87,89 

Terminal ornaments, patterns 
for, 125, 126 

Therming, 84, 87 

Thrust pin, 3 

Thumb mould, the, 103 

Tobacco pipes, turning, 99 

Tommy bar, the, 58 

Tool cutter, the ball, 76 

Tool handles, finishing off, 17 

Tool shelf on lathe, 3 

Tools, grinding and sharpen- 
ing, 25 

Tools, various turning, 22, 24 

Toy cannon, method of turn- 
ing a, 41 

Toy wheels, how to turn, 42, 44 

Trap, mitre, for reduced 
squares, 44 

Treadle bar, the, 3 

Treadle, the lathe, 3 



149 



Index 



Treadling:, hints on, 5, 6 

Tudor dresser, 139 

Tudor table legs, examples of, 
12, 66, in 

Tudor turnings, examples of, 
12, 43, 66, 74, in, 139 

Tudor turnings (see also Eliza- 
bethan turnings). 

Turned mouldings, 36, 38 

Turning large work, 70 

Turning, patterns for orna- 
mental, 125 

Turning patterns, with full- 
sized details, 114 — 118, 121 
—123, 130, 134 

Turning, square, 83 

Turning, twisted and spiral, 47 

Turnings, examples of Tudor, 
12, 43, 66, 74, in, 139 

Turnings, finishing (staining 
and polishing), 91 

Turnings, split, 36 

Twist, double and triple, with 
separate strands, 52 

Twisted and spiral turning, 47 



Twisted turning, triple, 53 
Twists, double, 50, 52 
Twists, single, 47 
Twists, triple, 52, 53 



Vase, hollowing a, 67 
Vee cut, the, 103 
Vegetable presser, 132 
Vice handle, turned, 42, 43 



Washita oilslip, 25, 28 
Washstand legs, patterns for, 

115— 118, 130 
Wax polishing, 96 
Wheel (hand) for tailstock, 3 
Wheel, slow speed driving, for 

metal turning, 3 
Wheel, the chain, 3 
Wheel, the driving, 3 
Wheels, how to turn toy, 42, 44 
Wood, chucking the, 7, 8 
Wood, how to fasten between 

centres, 9 



tjo 



